The Leader podcast: In Tokyo as an Olympics like no other comes to an end

The Evening Standard’s Anthony France joins us from Tokyo where he’s been reporting on a unique Olympic Games.

There have been Cold War-style defections of athletes, a typhoon, an earthquake, Covid-19 restrictions and even some events on the field like Simone Biles pulling out of competitions.

But Anthony tells us how his mind has changed about the Games, shifting from wondering why it was happening at all to being impressed at how Japan has pulled it off “through sheer willpower”.

He also tells us about some of the aspects of the coronavirus restrictions, including the joy of gourment food delivery when you’re stuck in a hotel, and the mysterious ‘bus spotters’ lurking at stops in the city.

But will it be remembered as a classic Olympics, up there with famous occasions like London 2012?

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