Tokyo has mostly delivered on that hope, despite some early teething problems.
The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) is seeking to move the home World Cup qualifier against Australia on Nov. 15 out of the country amid mourning for the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
White needed a big performance to overhaul Japan's Ayumu Hirano and duly delivered with a spectacular display to earn a score of 97.75. His victory means the United States have won all four snowboarding golds awarded at the Games.
Images from all the action on Day 4 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday
As we prepare to cruise into the New Year, Rediff.com gives you a glance back, through photos, into all the sporting moments that made the last 12 months memorable.
Croatian Marin Cilic prepares to try to stop the Swiss claiming a sixth Australian Open title on Sunday.
Asian Games heptathlon gold medal changed her life as she became a star but Swapna Barman, on Friday, said she sometimes get nervous and scared of the people's high expectations.
Triple jumper Arpinder Singh created history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal in the IAAF Continental Cup as he clinched a bronze but star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finished sixth with a below-par show, in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on Sunday.
Swapna Barman competed in the two-day event with a taped right cheek to lessen pain arising out of teeth infection but still went on to win the gold medal in the women's heptathlon.
Venus Williams continued her astonishing late-career revival by felling Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 7-6(3) on Tuesday to reach her first Australian Open semi-final in 14 years.
World number one Simona Halep saved three match-points before edging past an inspired Lauren Davis 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 in a thrilling marathon to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday.
Star grapplers Bajrang and Babita Kumari qualified for next month's World Wrestling Championship after emerging victorious in their respective weight categories in the final selection trials at the SAI training centre in Sonepat.
Roger Federer is one win from becoming the oldest world number one in ATP Tour history after beating Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6(8), 7-5 in the last 16 of the Rotterdam Open on Thursday.
'The Olympics postponement may not be a political body blow to Abe Shinzo, but it is no denying that the economic cost of the postponement of the Games will be heavy for Japan,' observes Dr Rajaram Panda.
Rafael Nadal's Australian Open quarter-final curse struck again on Tuesday, an injury forcing the top seed to retire in the fifth set against Croatia's Marin Cilic.
'Didn't realise was flanked by Chinese and Pakistani athletes on victory podium'
Images from matches played on Day 7 at the Australian Open in Melbourne Park on Sunday
Coco Vandeweghe blasted her way into her first grand slam semi-final with a dominant display of power tennis to destroy French Open champion Garbine Muguruza 6-4, 6-0 at the Australian Open on Tuesday.
Exhausted by a near five-hour contest, Denis Istomin struggled to formulate his thoughts following his stunning upset of Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.
American tennis player Serena Williams is all set to make her comeback at the Australian Open, organisers confirmed.
'These youngsters have proved there is money in sports today, not just cricket!' 'They are youth icons and people look up to them.' 'Our athletes are not scared. Like a child knows no fear, they are youngsters without fear.'
San Marino rider Alex de Angelis was airlifted to hospital after a heavy crash during final practice at the Japanese MotoGP on Saturday before a dramatic qualifying session saw Jorge Lorenzo grab pole from title rival Valentino Rossi.
After two years of injury frustration and bouts of depression, Victoria Azarenka is hoping a little bit of motorcycle riding and some street art will change people's perceptions and help her to a third Australian Open title. The 26-year-old Belarusian is one of the favourites for the year's opening grand slam that starts on Monday after proving her fitness following a nagging foot injury that has restricted her appearances over the past two years. Now injury free and fresh off her first title since August 2013 at the Brisbane International last week, she is looking forward to the courts she made her own in 2012 and 2013.
Britain's Johanna Konta has learned much from matches against Grand Slam champions and former world number ones over the last 18 months but on Wednesday her education will be complete when she faces Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarter-finals.
Defending champion Roger Federer argued with an umpire but mostly let his racket do the talking as he beat Tomas Berdych for the ninth time running to reach the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday.
Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro became the first player through to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open as she dug herself out of a hole to beat Estonian Anett Kontaveit 4-6, 6-4 ,8-6 on Sunday.
The bullet train is expected to cover 508 km between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in about two hours.
Relief was at hand, however, with a cool change blowing over the city and the temperature expected to fall back below 30 by the evening.
Rediff.com presents the early surprises at the year's first Grand Slam.
The Apple Watch goes on sale around the world on Friday.
Images from all the action on Day 9 at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday
Former champion Stan Wawrinka engaged in a war of words with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga before winning the only argument that mattered on Tuesday, storming into the Australian Open semi-finals with a 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-3 win over the Frenchman.
Suzuki patriarch steps down from CEO post as mileage test storm grows.
Images from matches played on Day 4 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday
Images from the Australian Open matches played at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
With the year sprinting to a close, we bring you, in pictures, some of the best action from the sports world.
Photos of Day 5 of the Australian Open being played in Melbourne
Sealing the match with a thumping serve, the 2014 US Open champion will bid for his second grand slam title against Friday's winner of Roger Federer and South Korea's rising star Chung Hyeon.
Rediff.com gives you a throwback to an eventful 2017, in pictures.
We bring you a collection of some of the best photographs taken this week by ace photographers.
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