HAVING kept us all waiting an extra year, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will at last swing into action with the opening ceremony today at midday.

Sporting fans around the world will finally be able to indulge in over two weeks of the highest quality sport there is to offer as Team GB set out on making more memories.

It will be a different games for sure, as no spectators will be in attendance for any of the events over the next 16 days.

So what can we expect from our Worcestershire competitors and who are they?

First up will be Malvern's Evie Richards in the Women's Mountain Bike event at the Izu MTB Course on Tuesday (06.30 BST).

Richards is currently number four in the world rankings and will certainly fancy a high finish.

She most recently came third in a race involving many of the competitors that will feature in the race next week and goes into the Games full of confidence.

On the same day, 18-year-old Matthew Richards will make his Olympic debut in the pool in the 100m Freestyle event.

From Droitwich originally, Richards made the GB Swimming Team on the back of a successful trial event in London back in April.

He will start in the heats at 11.00 BST on Tuesday morning at the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Tokyo.

Worcester Warriors Women's Alex Matthews will be up next, taking to the field at the Tokyo Stadium with her Team GB Women's Rugby Sevens side as they go in search of bettering their fourth placed finish at Rio 2016.

They lost 33-10 to Canada in the Bronze Medal Match in Brazil but will be right in the mix for medals again this time around. Their campaign begins on Thursday (03.00 BST) against Russia.

Team GB's other opposition in Pool A are New Zealand and Kenya.

Finally, the fourth Worcester athlete at the Olympics this summer will take centre stage.

Kayaker Emily Lewis makes her Games debut in the K-1 200m event at the Sea Forest Waterway on August 2 at 01.30 BST.

Lewis has also entered the K-1 500m event which is on Wednesday, August 4 at 02.20 BST.

Worcester News will be covering the Games online and on social media so be sure to tune in.

The events following the Worcestershire athletes will have live updates, reports and reaction as and when they happen.