Who can forget Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe dressed as video game character 'Super Mario' to help introduce the Tokyo 2020 preview at the Rio 2016 Closing Ceremonies? The indelible image is a classic.

Beyond that, he was noted as a 'valiant supporter and a dear friend of the Olympic Movement' from the International Olympic Committee.

​R.I.P.

Vogue Ukraine has a roundup of Ukrainian Olympic sport athletes - from artistic swimming to fencing to rowing to track & field to canoeing and to gymnastics - recently enjoying success on the playing fields around the world. (in awkward Google Translate)

Need a story with drama and hope? Read about Team Ukraine's determined participation at the women's U23 field hockey 5 Nations.

"The door is always open" for veterans Anna O'Flanagan and Chloe Watkins to return to Team Ireland's field hockey squad, despite a 'new-look' team for the upcoming World Cup.

Meanwhile, Michelle Struijk hopes "to play some really nice hockey" at the World Cup as she helps guide Team Belgium to its third consecutive appearance.

Olympic champion bobsledder Francesco Friedrich adds speed to his push team with Felix Straub.

Boxer Rashida Ellis is the first American woman to win world championship lightweight gold...and she credits her "mental fortitude".

"Taekwondo has changed my life." Syrian refugee athlete Wael Fawaz Al-Farraj takes another go at Olympic qualification as he meets with sports officials.

How are some of Team Great Britain's Olympic sports athletes celebrating 'National School Sport Week'?

FIS takes a look at some of the cross-country skiers with recent family announcements...

A feature from last month in Numero focuses on fencer and 'modern day Renaissance Man' Race Imboden: Olympics, life in Paris, modeling, and more.

The Medal Count: Who were some of the artistic gymnasts that got married recently?

So...why didn't star gymnast Urara Ushiakawa not make Team Japan's 2022 world championship squad?

Figure skater Nathan Chen's memoir, "One Jump at a Time", takes readers to his childhood and his Olympic success.

Speed skater Kai Verbij honored with the VISA Award for best exemplifying 'the values of friendship, acceptance, and inspiration' during Beijing 2022.

Double Olympic basketball medalist Mitch Richmond is the latest guest on the "Knuckleheads" podcast: playing on the Dream Team II, the Hall of Fame, and more.

Star basketball-er Brittney Griner's dire predicament in Russian jail continues to take a toll on her wife's patience, to say the least.

Will super star Steph Curry make a return to Team USA? An Olympic gold is the one major basketball medal missing for him.

Four-time Olympic medalist Lauren Jackson set to return to Team Australia's basketball team after a nine- year (!) international retirement.

​And...is boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. actually helping Griner's release?

Rio 2016 Olympian Philipp Kohlschreiber on the brink of the end to a "great and wonderful career".

Hana Kuma: Tennis ace Naomi Osaka turns media mogul alongside basketball-er LeBron James.

Newsweek's coverage of the historic Title IX legislation's 50th anniversary features words from Olympians Venus Williams (tennis), Lisa Fernandez (softball), Megan Rapinoe (soccer), Janet Evans (swimming), Sheryl Swoopes (basketball), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (track & field), and Misty-May Treanor (beach volleyball), amongst other voices.

Team USA's ice hockey star Angela Ruggiero talks business in retirement, the Sports Innovation Lab project, and more, on the Five Rings to Rule Them All podcast.

World Athletics features star Allyson Felix's legacy as the sprinter runs out her last competitive season.

YouTube: How is decathlete Thomas van der Plaetsen's injury recovery going?

Long jump Olympian Tara Davis talks encountering mental health struggles in college with Spikes.

Looking for a hardcover 'photo and written essay' documenting select athletes' journeys to Tokyo 2020? Check out Alex Palombo's "The 20 2020 Project".

Montreal 1976 decathlon gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner weighs in on FINA's new approach to transgender women in competition.

It's official - Katie Ledecky is the most-decorated-ever female swimmer in World Championship history.

Did teenager David Popovici evoke memories of legends Ian Thorpe and Michael Phelps with his swimming exploits at the World Aquatics Championships?

This week, Team Chile's Kristel Kobrich marked history as the only swimmer to have competed in 10 (!) long-course FINA World Championships.

With a hurdles world record firmly in hand, will Karsten Warholm tackle other events on the track?

Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra makes a dream come true with his parents, on an airplane flight.
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Happy (belated) World Fencing Day! How are athletes celebrating?

Hong Kong's medalists from Tokyo 2020 enjoy special stamp commemoration from Hongkong Post.

How does speed skater Patrick Roest prepare for an upcoming season? Working on the farm helps.

Linda Chiamaka Nwagbo chats with Olympics.com on helping to make Nigerian curling a serious thing.

Anastasija Kravcenoka makes a plea on behalf of the International Beach Volleyball Players' Association.

In indoor volleyball news....Brazilian star Douglas Souza shares an uncomfortable airport incident. Homophobia at play...or no?

Team USA alpine skier Alice Merriweather suffers an injury setback in what was supposed to be a 'comeback season'.

New Zealander Anton Down-Jenkins credits Tom Daley and Matthew Mitcham for helping to pave the way for his career in diving.

Nagano 1998 Team Canada silver medalist and ice hockey trailblazer Manon Rheaume gets a statue honor in Quebec City.

Tokyo 2020 BMX champion Logan Martin has a new honor in Australia: 'Sports Dad of the Year'.

More diving: The New York Times examines Tom Daley's immediate post-Tokyo 2020 life.

Emilien Jacquelin is still in training for the upcoming biathlon season, despite a serious wrist injury.

Tennis star Venus Williams for The New York Times: "Being tough means taking care of my whole self".

October 18 this year is 'Flora Duffy Day' in Bermuda after the triathlete's gold medal-run at Tokyo 2020.

Team New Zealand rugby sevens star Michaela Blyde enjoys finally getting home after Covid-19 restrictions impacts.

Ecuadorian judoka Vanessa Chala receives a special donation from her Olympic committee to help her sports school get off the ground. (in Spanish)

Team Denmark soccer stalwart Nadia Nadim has a unique perspective on current events in Afghanistan, as she fled the Taliban herself years ago.

Superstar - and Beijing 2008 gold medalist - Leo Messi surpasses soccer legend Pele as he sets yet another milestone mark.

I'll take a few days to process the last two weeks+ and the Tokyo 2020 Games. Broadly, my mind is filled with images of quality competition and emotional finishes - along with empty stadiums, and intense heat. What will the legacy of Tokyo 2020 be? Time will tell, but I do feel strongly that the Olympic movement would have been damaged had the Games not taken place.

So many individual stories are striking - Simone Biles' gymnastics withdrawal, Caeleb Dressel's golden performance in the pool, first gold for Philippines, three medals for Ecuador, first medals for San Marino, Team USA squeaking past Team China for the medal table win, a shared high jump gold, double world records in hurdling, and one in the triple jump, and more, more, more...

But the fact that the Games happened at all gave us proof that it could happen, that life is moving forward, that we can be #StrongerTogether. While the global pandemic still goes on, #UnitedbyEmotion we can accomplish big things.

Team Ireland's Natalya Cole puts it succinctly well, on behalf of the athletes.

Thank you to Tokyo, to Japan, to Tokyo 2020, to the Olympics, and to the athletes.

You can relive some of the best moments of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games with a collection of photos from USA TODAY and The New York Times.

Team Netherlands' Sifan Hassan completes her ambitious medal podium treble with gold in the 10,000 meters, after 1,500 bronze and 5,000 gold.

Nicola McDermott fulfills a childhood dream with a surprising podium finish in the high jump for Team Australia.

Allyson Felix officially becomes Team USA's most decorated track & field Olympian, amongst other accolades, with the 4x400 relay win.

Team India's Neeraj Chopra wins a landmark gold in a remarkable javelin competition in which heavy favorite Johannes Vetter fails to medal.

"You made me cry." The celebrated bromance of high jumpers Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi reverberates to the streets.

Team USA's Molly Seidel, in only her third-ever marathon, (almost) fulfills a fourth-grade wish.

Don't count out Team USA's Paul Chelimo, making the 5,000 meter podium for the second Games in a row. And he looks to Los Angeles 2028, too.

Eliud Kipchoge of Team Kenya is just the third man to repeat as Olympic marathon champion.

Team Japan gets its 'national mission' done with a gold medal victory in baseball.

And, Team Brazil successfully defends its Olympic title in men's soccer, matching Team Argentina's run from 2004/08.

The 'dream season' continues for world number one Nelly Korda as she adds an Olympic women's golf gold medal for Team USA.

Team Hungary's Danuta Kozak goes one better than Team New Zealand Lisa Carrington with a sixth career canoeing gold medal.

Galal Yafai's "arduous journey" ends with an Olympic boxing title for Team Great Britain.

33 years after his father Hugo won bronze at Seoul 1988 for Team Argentina over Brazil in volleyball, Facundo Conte does the same at Tokyo 2020.

Equestrian: Team USA's Jessica Springsteen - of Bruce fame - does get onto the podium with a silver in team jumping.

Two days after his wife won a record fifth Olympic gold, track cyclist Jason Kenny of Team Great Britain won a record seventh title.

Women's water polo: Team USA's most dominant team?

Is Kevin Durant Team USA's greatest men's basketball Olympian ever?

Meanwhile, Team USA's Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi cement their own legacies as the first players to win five career basketball Olympic titles.

​Team China's Cao Yuan cemented his status as one of the greats as he wins diving's 10 meter platform becoming the first man to win both Olympic platform and springboard titles since Seoul 1988 (although coming in separate Games).

Linoy Ashram wins Team Israel's third-ever Olympic gold, its first of any kind in rhythmic gymnastics, and an upset victory over the heavily favored Averina sisters.

The Closing Ceremony for Tokyo 2020 is scheduled for 8pm Japan time (7am EST / 4am PST)** on August 8, at the Olympic (National) Stadium.

"Worlds We Share" is the planned theme, representing the multiple 'worlds' we share across the globe and the opportunity to come together in spite of cultural and geographic differences.

Typically, the ceremony reflects on the past weeks and the moment of Olympism, with an opportunity for the next Summer Games host - Paris 2024 - to offer a thematic preview. In this case, it's a nod to Paris' modernity and tradition.

Athlete attendance will be minimal even compared to 'normal' Games, due to Covid-19 precautions having most athletes leaving Tokyo soon after their events. A tradition, however, is the entrance of the (remaining) athletes entering together - rather than segregated by nation as in the Opening Ceremony - and brought in by representative flag bearers.

**Television coverage in the U.S. is at 8 pm - 10:30 pm EST / 5pm - 7:30pm PST)

Ashleigh Johnson is happy.

Allyson Felix celebrates 10.

Kevin Mayer is full of heart.

Jacob Schopf shares a moment with Max Hoff.

Valerie Adams' excited to represent at the Closing Ceremony.

Luka Doncic gives thanks.

Milena Baldassari is a proud Olympian.

And, finally...all the feels, Johannes. Rooting for you for Paris 2024.

The Tokyo SkyTree celebrates the Olympics.