Opening ceremony of virus-delayed Tokyo Olympics held at vast national stadium kept mostly empty by the pandemic

TOKYO (AP) — With a blaze of indigo and white fireworks lighting the night sky, the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony was held.

It began with a single female athlete at the center 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, then eventually to images of a world silenced by the pandemic.

Then came the fireworks, a 20-second blast of light — as if to say these Olympics have finally emerged from dark times.