These are some of the regulations successful recruits have to abide by
And she didn't even knew about it for years, until she was sent a magazine article cutout. "Up until 1979 I did not even have an idea that I could be a record holder. I really was surprised by this," said Latynina.
American boxer Joe Frazier was sent as a replacement for Buster Mathis, who had broken his thumb. But just before Frazier competed in the Tokyo Olympics, he broke his thumb as well! Frazier still managed to win gold though.
So an estimated 200,000 stray dogs and cats were euthanized.
Frazier went on to become the first boxer to beat Muhammad Ali, in what became known as the "Fight of the Century."
Sources: (Grunge)
New road infrastructures were also built, including a new sewage system. The rebuild also included new subway lines and new hotels.
Tokyo had thousands of stray dogs and cats roaming the streets, but this wouldn't look good for the country hosting the Olympics.
Before Michael Phelps won 28 medals, the record was held by the Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. She set the record during the Tokyo Olympics. In total, the gymnast amassed 18 medals: a record she held for 48 years!
The capital city suffered a major transformation before hosting the Olympics. Up to 10,000 offices and residential buildings were built. Wooden houses were replaced with apartment blocks.
British runner Ann Packer made her international debut at the Tokyo Olympics with only five races under her belt.
The first Shinkansen train line was opened just nine days before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics began.
Watanabe Osamu is considered one of the greatest wrestlers in Olympics history.
The overrun costs led to the resignation of the president of Japanese National Railway and the chief engineer. But according to The Japan Times, "the goal was to impress the rest of the world with the high level of Japanese technological achievement, as the global media focused on the Tokyo Olympics."
Women's volleyball officially debuted at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, and the home team in particular made the headlines.
The Japanese women's volleyball team won gold. Their final match against the Soviet Union had an audience rating of over 80% in Japan.
The country's independence was declared on the same day as the Olympics closing ceremony, making it the only nation to enter the competition as one country and leave as another.
But despite being fairly inexperienced, she won the gold medal in the 800m run and took silver in the 400m run. Plus, she also set a new world record in the 800m at the time!
As of today, no other US athlete has won gold in the 10,000-meter run since. In 2012, Mills received the Presidential Citizens Medal for his efforts in Native American causes.
Oglala Lakota distance runner Tamakoce Te'Hila, also known as Billy Mills, took everyone by surprise by winning Olympic gold for the US. He was virtually unknown up until the event.
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was dissolved a year prior to the Tokyo Olympics, but the nation didn't become the Republic of Zambia until October 24, 1964.
Though the broadcast was not the same for everyone around the world. Those in Japan had the privilege of watching it in color. People in the US, for instance, could only watch the opening ceremony.
South Africa was banned from the Tokyo Olympics due to their apartheid policies. The South African government refused to send an integrated team to the Games.
Ethiopian runner Abebe Bikila won two Olympic marathons in a row. First the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome (where he ran barefoot!), and then the Tokyo Olympics in 1964.
While the 1960 Rome Games were broadcast live in Europe, the Tokyo Olympics were the first to be broadcast internationally.
The country's Minister of the Interior, Johannes de Klerk, claimed that it would be "inadmissible" for black South Africans to represent white South Africans. They did eventually announce seven non-white athletes in a team of 62, but this was not good enough for the International Olympic Committee and the country was banned.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are finally happening. The Games were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but will now be held in the Japanese capital. This isn't, however, the first time Tokyo has hosted the Summer Olympics. In 1964, Tokyo became the first non-Western city to host the Games. But how much do you know about the 1964 Olympics?
In this gallery, we revisit some of the most interesting facts about the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Click through to learn more.
Tokyo was the first non-Western city to host the Olympics. The Games of the XVIII Olympiad, as it was officially known, were held in Tokyo, Japan, from October 10 to 24, 1964.
The first black African Olympic gold medalist won the Tokyo marathon some 40 days following a surgery to get his appendix removed!
But Tokyo 1964 were the first and last Olympic Games where the Japanese wrestler competed. Osamu remained undefeated throughout his entire career.
Though this was not the first time the Japanese capital was chosen to host the Olympics. The country was supposed to host the 1940 Olympics, but due to the conflict with China, the competition was rescheduled for Helsinki. But then World War II started, so the games ended up being canceled.
Curious facts about the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
The Japanese capital was the first non-Western city to host the Olympics
LIFESTYLE Olympic games
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are finally happening. The Games were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but will now be held in the Japanese capital. This isn't, however, the first time Tokyo has hosted the Summer Olympics. In 1964, Tokyo became the first non-Western city to host the Games. But how much do you know about the 1964 Olympics?
In this gallery, we revisit some of the most interesting facts about the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Click through to learn more.