Olympic Games Tokyo 1964

Tokyo 1964

Date9 October - 24 October

CountryJapan

Athletes5151

Teams93

Events163

Results Highlights

About the Games

First in Asia

The 1964 Tokyo Games were the first to be held in Asia. The carrier of the flame, Yoshinori Sakai, was chosen because he was born on 6 August 1945, the day the atomic bomb exploded in Hiroshima, in homage to the victims and as a call for world peace.

Evolving Technology

A cinder running track was used for the last time in the athletics events, whilst a fibreglass pole was used for the first time in the pole vaulting competition. The Tokyo Games was also the last occasion that hand timing by stopwatch was used for official timing.

Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games Legacy

Discover the lasting legacy that this edition of the Olympic Games created for its hosts.

Memorable Champions

Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia became the first athlete to win the marathon twice, whilst Soviet gymnast Larysa Latynina brought her career medal total to an incredible 18. It also proved the fourth time lucky for Greco-Roman wrestler Imre Polyak, who finally won gold after finishing second in the same division at the previous three Olympic Games.