For millions of sports fans around the world, the opening ceremony of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics on Friday, July 23 signaled the start of epic competitions that will captivate and inspire for years to come.
All told, there are 339 events across 41 sports, with 613 athletes from Team USA that will compete in 36 disciplines, which includes new additions like skateboarding, surfing, karate and 3x3 basketball.
But nothing cements the beginning of the Games quite like the first gold medal given, which went to China's Yang Qian in the women's 10-meter air rifle.
Yang beat Anastasiia Galashina of Russia with 9.