Athletes training on the Island for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics say they are not letting up in their preparations, despite concerns about the coronavirus.
The International Olympic Committee stated this week the Games will go ahead as scheduled July 24 to Aug. 9.
鈥淎ll we can do is keep preparing as usual,鈥� said former University of Victoria Vikes rugby star Nathan Hirayama, co-captain of the Canadian men鈥檚 sevens team.
The Canadian men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 rugby sevens squads, both based in Langford, have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.
鈥淭he Olympics are a dream for all of us,鈥� said Hirayama.
鈥淚t would be a shame not to go. But we can only control what鈥檚 within our control. And that is to keep training and playing hard and to be ready when the time comes. The rest is out of our control.鈥�
Olympic rowing hopefuls are training on Elk Lake and the national selection trials will go ahead this week on Quamichan Lake in North Cowichan.
鈥淔rom everything we鈥檙e hearing, the Olympics in Tokyo will go ahead,鈥� said Terry Dillon of Victoria, CEO of Rowing sa国际传媒.
鈥淲e鈥檙e continuing to prepare to go to the Olympics and win medals.鈥�
But at risk are three pre- Olympic World Cup events, two of which are scheduled in May for Italy, among the countries most affected by the coronavirus. All sporting events in Italy will take place without spectators until April, it was announced Wednesday.
鈥淲e are looking at it on a daily basis and will be guided by FISA,鈥� said Dillon.
鈥淭he plans are to go to Italy and it鈥檚 getting close to making a decision. The biggest consideration is in leaving sa国际传媒 and not being allowed back in.鈥�
Health officials may deem a two-week quarantine period must be completed before returning from Italy.
It鈥檚 business as usual on the PISE track at the Western Hub national middle-distance training centre.
鈥淲e just keep training like we鈥檙e training. We keep going like we鈥檙e going. We鈥檙e not going to stop training because of rumours,鈥� said Victoria runner Genevieve Lalonde, who has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in the 3,000-metre steeplechase.
Meanwhile, local organizers say preparations continue unabated to host the men鈥檚 Olympic basketball qualifying tournament June 23-28 at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
鈥淲e are monitoring things as closely as we can in a precautionary way, and being as responsive as we can to information, but we are planning full steam ahead,鈥� said Clint Hamilton, chairman of the Victoria tournament steering committee.
FIBA postponed the three-on-three men鈥檚 Olympic qualifier scheduled March 18-22 for Bangalore, India, because of the coronavirus but stressed it was a postponement only and will collaborate with the IOC on a new date.
鈥淭he IOC and FIBA are the key decision makers,鈥� said Hamilton.
鈥淲e can only control what is within our control and we are planning on staging a major Olympic qualifier.鈥�
It is ironic that sport鈥檚 greatest attribute 鈥� its ability to bring people together 鈥� is its greatest detriment in terms of the coronavirus epidemic. Western Hockey League teams Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips are located in Puget Sound, where a nursing home has become the epicentre of the virus in the United States. King County is recommending, but not requiring, an avoidance of public gatherings.
鈥淲e will follow the lead of the league,鈥� said Cam Hope, GM of the Victoria Royals, who are in Portland this weekend for WHL games Saturday and Sunday.
Greater Victoria sports fans, however, do not yet seem concerned about close proximity. Crowds of more than 5,000 each gathered for two Royals WHL games last weekend at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. More than 6,000 tickets were snapped up immediately for the sa国际传媒-Trinidad soccer game March 27 at Westhills Stadium with tickets now being sold for a second game March 31. Up to 12,000 fans over two days are possible for the sa国际传媒 Sevens women鈥檚 rugby tournament May 2-3 at Westhills Stadium. Up to 80,000 fans over two days are expected Saturday and Sunday at sa国际传媒 Place to watch the Canadian men鈥檚 team in the sa国际传媒 Sevens.
鈥淲e want a safe and healthy experience and are deferring to the sa国际传媒 health authorities about that,鈥� said Gareth Rees of Victoria, director of commercial and program relations for Rugby sa国际传媒.
As for the Olympics, Rees is optimistic.
鈥淲e will not put our athletes at risk,鈥� said the former playing legend and member of sa国际传媒鈥檚 Sports Hall of Fame.
鈥淚 was in Japan last year for the World Cup. If anyone can handle this, it鈥檚 the Japanese. They are good at big events. And the Olympics have proven resilient. They have been through a lot worse than this [massacre and boycotts], and the Games will get through this as well.鈥�
The Olympics have only been cancelled during world wars. The 2010 Winter Games rolled through sa国际传媒 despite concerns about the H1N1 virus and the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics went ahead despite the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil. The Mexico City Summer Olympics were held amidst the far-reaching 1968 Hong Kong flu pandemic, which is almost forgotten today but which killed an estimated one million people, dwarfing the coronavirus outbreak.
