Key moments from the Olympic Games before the opening ceremony

Here is what you missed from all the pre-ceremony action.

July 22, 2021, 11:30 AM

Each day, ABC News will give you a roundup of key Olympic moments from the day’s events in Tokyo, happening 13 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time. After a 12-month delay, the unprecedented 2020 Summer Olympics is taking place without fans or spectators and under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic.

US women’s soccer falls to Sweden 3-0

The U.S. women's team fell to Sweden in the first group match, a familiar foe that knocked them out of the 2016 Olympic games. The loss broke the U.S. women's national team's 44-game winning streak, but it did not knock them out of the competition. Three teams from each group will advance to the next round.

PHOTO: Lina Hurtig of Team Sweden scores their side's third goal past Alyssa Naeher of Team United States during the Women's First Round Group G match between Sweden and United States during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Lina Hurtig #8 of Team Sweden scores their side's third goal past Alyssa Naeher #1 of Team United States during the Women's First Round Group G match between Sweden and United States during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Stadium on July 21, 2021 in Chofu, Tokyo, Japan.
Dan Mullan/Getty Images
United States' Christen Press reacts as Sweden's players celebrate their third goal during a women's soccer match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 21, 2021, in Tokyo.
Ricardo Mazalan/AP Photo

Olympian coronavirus cases rise to 91 as athletes make their way to Tokyo

The most recent tally includes U.S. volleyball player Taylor Crabb, the nationally top-ranked skeet shooter Amber Hill and Dutch skateboarder Candy Jacobs, according to The Associated Press. Officials in Tokyo reported 1,979 new coronavirus infection in the metropolitan area on Thursday, July 22, 2021.

PHOTO: People stand in front of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games signage as the coronavirus disease outbreak continues in Tokyo, Japan, July 21, 2021.
People stand in front of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games signage as the coronavirus outbreak continues in Tokyo, Japan, July 21, 2021.
Thomas Peter/Reuters

US gymnastics team leaves Olympic Village for hotel

Gymnastics coach Cecila Landi stated the safety of the team from the ongoing pandemic could be better managed at a hotel than at the Olympic village. The team will continue to be tested for COVID-19 daily, just as they would at the athletes' village.

PHOTO: From left, Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles, Simone Biles, and Sunisa Lee of the United States wait their turn to train on vault for artistic gymnastics at Ariake Gymnastics Centre venue ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics.
From left, Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles, Simone Biles, and Sunisa Lee of the United States wait their turn to train on vault for artistic gymnastics at Ariake Gymnastics Centre venue ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.
Ashley Landis/AP Photo

4 new Olympic events set to debut this year

The 2020 Games will include skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing and karate for the first time in Olympic history. In addition, the 2020 games will see the return of softball and baseball, and new disciplines in existing sports such as three-on-three basketball and bmx freestyle.

Jagger Eaton of the United States skates during the men's street training atAriake Urban Sports Park, Tokyo, Japan on July 20, 2021.
Matthew Childs/Reuters
Australia's Owen Wright rides a wave during a training session at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 22, 2021, at Tsurigasaki beach in Ichinomiya, Japan.
Francisco Seco/AP

Jill Biden leads delegation to Tokyo

First lady Jill Biden landed in Tokyo to attend the opening ceremony. Around 950 people, including journalists, heads of state and Olympic officials will attend the ceremonies.

First Lady Jill Biden arrives at Yokota Air Base to attend the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, July 22, 2021, in this photo released by Kyodo.
Kyodo/via Reuters

Olympics highlights gender equality

The 2020 Games feature the most female athletes at any Olympics with nearly 49% of the total athletes competing, as well as the first transgender athlete, New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, to compete in the games. Additionally, the amount of mixed-gender events have doubled this Olympics.

PHOTO: Ellen White of Team Great Britain celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's second goal during the Women's First Round Group E match between Great Britain and Chile during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Sapporo Dome on July 21, 2021.
Ellen White of Team Great Britain celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's second goal during the Women's First Round Group E match between Great Britain and Chile during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Sapporo Dome on July 21, 2021 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
Masashi Hara/Getty Images
In this file photo, Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand competes at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Paul Childs/Reuters

IOC loosens restriction on athlete's expression

The International Olympic Committee has loosened some restrictions on athletes' political and social expressions, allowing them to express their views during interviews, on social media and on the field before competition.

Players take the knee ahead of an opening round women's football match between the U.S. and Sweden at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, July 21, 2021.
Noriko Hayashi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The opening ceremonies will begin at 7 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Friday, July 23, 2021. See more scenes from pre-ceremony events below:

PHOTO: Nikole Barnes and Lara Dallman-Weiss of Team USA (center) sail their 470 class dinghy during a practice race ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 21, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Mt. Fuji is seen in the background as Nikole Barnes and Lara Dallman-Weiss of Team USA (center) sail their 470 class dinghy during a practice race ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 21, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Clive Mason/Getty Images
Japan's goalkeeper Sakiko Ikeda falls as Canada's players celebrate after Canada's Christine Sinclair scores a goal against Japan during a women's soccer match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 21, 2021, in Sapporo, Japan.
Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo
Yu-Jan Shiao of Chinese Taipei during a practice session at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 21, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Julian Finney/Getty Images
Table tennis players practice during a table tennis training session at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, in Tokyo, on July 21, 2021, ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images
A diver trains at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Tokyo, Japan on July 21, 2021.
Stefan Wermuth/Reuters
Torch bearers exchange the flame during the Olympic Torch Relay Celebration event on July 21, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images
A British gymnast takes part in a training session at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo on July 22, 2021, ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Loic Venance/AFP via Getty Images

For more Olympics coverage, see: https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/Olympics

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