With a blaze of indigo and white fireworks lighting the night sky, the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony has started. In a nearly empty national stadium, devoid of any crowd energy, it began with a single female athlete at the centre of the stadium, kneeling. As she stood, the shadow behind her took the shape of a seedling, growing as she walked. A number of athletes were featured in a video that started with the moment Tokyo won the Olympic bid in 2013, before showing images of a world silenced by the Covid pandemic