Tokyo 2021: Countdown during lockdown

In the year leading up to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, four elite athletes fought for their chance to compete on the world’s biggest stage amidst an ongoing global pandemic. They had to negotiate postponed training, increased health risks, and the uncertainty of whether the games would still go ahead.

In this documentary, we follow fencer Alexandra Ndolo, high jumper Marie-Laurence Jungfleisch, javelin thrower Thomas Röhler, and taekwondo master Madeline Folgmann through their trials and tribulations. This year-long journey is full of ups and downs, as each athlete fights to achieve their dream while confronting uncomfortable questions. They experience moments of triumph but also big disappointments, and each of their stories rings uniquely true in a culture where the Olympic Games hold a special place. Through it all, they will leave a mark on a global audience, showing us what it means to persevere in the face of extreme adversity.