TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japanese fans soaked up the atmosphere on Saturday’s opening day of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, four years after being shut out of the same stadium for the pandemic-troubled Olympics.

The Tokyo Games, postponed a year until 2021 because of COVID-19, took place amid the ghostly backdrop of empty stands, with fans barred to prevent the spread of infection.

Japanese spectators were determined to make up for lost time as the world championships opened on a cloudy, muggy morning, with fans arriving before the race walk began at 7:30 am.

Hajime Kondo, a 41-year-old office worker from nearby Chiba, came to watch with his wife Yukiko and their six-year-old son.

“We’ve just arrived but we watched the race walk, and when the Japanese athletes went past, people got very excited,” Kondo told AFP.

“Kids get to watch athletes in action and it makes them want to do it too. It’s a good incentive for them.”

Kondo and his wife managed to buy tickets for the Olympic kayak slalom in a lottery four years ago but were forced to watch it at home on TV when organisers banned fans from most events.

“It was disappointing; we had taken the day off work and everything,” Kondo said.

“There weren’t any fans so it looked a bit forlorn on TV. It didn’t have that energy.”

Tokyo’s National Stadium, which seats just under 70,000, was about half-full when the men’s 35km race walk leaders entered for the final lap midway through the morning session.

A huge roar erupted when Japan’s Hayato Katsuki entered the stadium on his way to the bronze medal.

Katsuki also competed at the Tokyo Olympics, where race walk and marathon events were moved to the northern city of Sapporo to avoid Tokyo’s fierce summer heat.

“Fans were allowed to cheer us on this time, and that gave me a lot of strength,” the 34-year-old said.

“Race walk will be at the Los Angeles Olympics so I wanted to show people in Tokyo that it’s a fun event that people can enjoy.”

The head of Japan’s athletics federation Yuko Arimori fought back tears on Friday as she described how the world championships could “wipe away” the painful memory of empty stands at the Tokyo Olympics.

Arimori said sport was not “just about the athletes but about everyone getting energy from it”.

Takashige Torii, a 49-year-old consultant from Chiba, said he was disappointed that the stadium was not full for the race walk but had high hopes for the rest of the competition.

“It’s a great chance for visitors from around the world to come to Tokyo and get to know Japan and its culture,” he said.

“Also, the Olympics were held behind closed doors so Japanese kids didn’t get the chance to watch the athletes.

“I think this time will have a good impact on kids.”

Organisers have sold out some sessions for the nine days of the championships but tickets are still available.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described the competition on Friday as, “the largest sporting event of the year by some distance”.

Hitoshi Aita, a 38-year-old company worker attending the opening day with his wife Misato, said the event had not disappointed so far.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen race walk and I’m surprised by how fast they go,” he said.

“If there are a lot of fans it gives strength to the athletes.”