COLORADO SPRINGS — The opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo is less than a month away. News 5 is committed to giving our viewers an inside look at the games, the athletes, the history, and more.
For three nights, KOAA News Anchor Elizabeth Watts and Sports Anchor Jake Gadon will host our Ticket to Tokyo special.
Ticket to Tokyo schedule:
- Monday, July 5, 9-9:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 7, 9-9:30 p.m.
All will be followed by a News5 Special Edition before News5 at 10 p.m. with Rob Quirk, Elizabeth Watts, and lead forecaster Mike Daniels.
Ticket to Tokyo will feature sports from boxing and gymnastics to Odd Olympics like artistic swimming, trampoline, and canoe sprinting.
Viewers will also be taken back in time, and hear former Olympians like 1984 gymnast Michelle Dusserre and 1980 Miracle on Ice goalie Jim Craig reflect on the games.
“Whenever you’re able to be the best team in the world, it’s an incredible feeling. I think people can understand you can be the best college hockey team in the world, you can be the best professional team, but it’s not in the world, it’s in the United States. So, when you’re an Olympic champion, you’re the best in the world, so that feeling is, it’s unbelievable,” said Craig.
Viewers will also get to know local athletes that are headed to the games like volleyball player Haleigh Washington and boxer Richard Torrez Jr. Torrez comes from three generations of boxing.
Ticket to Tokyo will also feature inspirational stories of Paralympians like John Register, who had to have his leg amputated after an accident during an Olympic trial. However, Register's Olympic journey didn't stop there, you can see his full story of tragedy to triumph on Ticket to Tokyo.
The opening ceremony will be held on July 23. NBC Universal has acquired the official rights to broadcast the 2020 game in the United States.
A schedule of events and competitions, as well as where to watch the games can be found at NBCOlympics.com.
You can watch the games with KOAA News5 as we bring you the stories of the athletes and the connections to Colorado Springs, home of the US Olympic and Paralympic Training Center and the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum.
You'll also be able to watch competitions with the NBC Sports website or the NBC Sports app, which allows for streaming on a number of devices including Apple TV, Roku devices, Android, IOS, and Windows.
