• Egyptian table tennis player Dina Meshref practices ahead of the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
    Egyptian table tennis player Dina Meshref practices ahead of the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
  • US softball player Haylie McCleney trains at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.
    US softball player Haylie McCleney trains at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.
  • Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka trains at the Center Court Ariake Tennis Park.
    Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka trains at the Center Court Ariake Tennis Park.
  • Great Britain tennis player Andy Murray practices ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
    Great Britain tennis player Andy Murray practices ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
  • Members of South Africa's Olympic football team work out ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Japan.
    Members of South Africa's Olympic football team work out ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Japan.
  • An athlete from Portugal practices for the skateboarding competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics, at the Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo.
    An athlete from Portugal practices for the skateboarding competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics, at the Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo.
  • A Japanese softball player tosses the balls into a basket during a training session at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, 2021, in Fukushima, Japan.
    A Japanese softball player tosses the balls into a basket during a training session at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, 2021, in Fukushima, Japan.
  • Germany and Australia hockey teams take part in a scrimmage match at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.
    Germany and Australia hockey teams take part in a scrimmage match at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.
  • The USA's beach volleyball team practice ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
    The USA's beach volleyball team practice ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
  • USA softball player Dejah Mulipola takes batting practice during a training session at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.
    USA softball player Dejah Mulipola takes batting practice during a training session at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.
  • Members of the Italian women's softball team warm up during a training session at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.
    Members of the Italian women's softball team warm up during a training session at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.
  • Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori during training ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
    Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori during training ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
  • A Japanese softball player bows before walking onto the field during the team's training session at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 20, 2021, in Fukushima, Japan. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
    A Japanese softball player bows before walking onto the field during the team's training session at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 20, 2021, in Fukushima, Japan. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
  • Members of the Japanese women's softball team train at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.
    Members of the Japanese women's softball team train at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.

Sport

Olympics

Olympic athletes hard at training as Tokyo 2020 fast approaches - in pictures

Athletes across numerous sports continue to prepare for the start of the Games this weekend

Jon Turner

July 20, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

The Tokyo Olympic Games finally swing into action this weekend and for the athletes taking part, preparations have been more challenging than ever.

The Games were postponed for 12 months in response to the coronavirus pandemic, so athletes aiming to peak for last summer have had to modify their training to ensure they now hit top performance this summer.

Now most athletes have arrived in Tokyo ahead of Friday's opening ceremony, they face unprecedented conditions in which to train and compete. Tokyo 2020 organisers have introduced a number of restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19, including limited freedom of movement for athletes around the Olympic facilities.

But as the saying goes: the show must go on - and athletes have been training hard to be ready for the start of the Games.

At the tennis park on Tuesday, two-time gold medallist Andy Murray hit the practice courts as did local hope Kei Nishikori. Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka - the four-time Grand Slam champion and one of the poster athletes for the Games - went through her paces as she bids to win gold for the host country.

Elsewhere, teams from softball, football, and beach volleyball were also training hard on Tuesday.

Take a look through the photo gallery above to check out some of the best pictures from athletes training ahead of the Olympics.

Updated: July 20, 2021, 9:23 AM