Jill Biden attends Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony

First lady Jill Biden on Friday led the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremony in Tokyo to kick off a highly anticipated and unique Olympics. 

The Olympics are Biden’s first solo international trip as first lady. Biden was spotted in the audience of the opening ceremony, wearing a black mask.

The opening ceremony paid homage to the athletes who trained in isolation during the global pandemic, showing videos of athletes practicing at home. It also honored those who have died from COVID-19 around the world. 

Biden penned an open letter in NBC News to the Team USA Olympic athletes ahead of the opening ceremony, calling them “forever one of the most elite, most celebrated and most accomplished athletes in the world.”