For the first time the Games were held in Asia. The Olympic Flame was lit by a young Yoshinori Sakai, who was born in Hiroshima on the tragic day of the bombing. For Japan it was the most meaningful way to launch those games that could not be hosted in 1940. The undisputed hero was the swimmer Don Schollander, who won four gold medals. While the most number of medals were won by the Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina: 2 golds, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes. Judo and volleyball made their Olympic debut in Tokyo . The Italians, empty-handed in the first week of the event, came back strongly in the second: with 27 medals and fifth place in the final medal table.