The Opening Ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games is finally upon us. The world’s eyes will be focused on the first global gathering since the pandemic and its ability to pipe music, spectacle and hope onto billions of TV screens. Although this monolith of an event dazzles in its size, production and technology, the main product are the memories it creates for people, whether watching at home or in starring roles on the stadium floor.

We talk to Nikki Webster, Sydney 2000’s “Hero Girl”, about being the protagonist of the biggest show on earth and how the Opening Ceremony fits national identity, sports and pageantry into one stadium. Ahmed Fareed tells the story of a fortuitous alphabetical quirk that gave a small nation’s athletes big time exposure.

Join us for Season 2 of NBC Sports’ The Podium. Starting July 23rd the Podcast will be coming to you daily from the ground in Tokyo to bring you new stories along with fresh takes on the events of the day. Follow The Podium wherever you listen to podcasts