Olympic Athletes Are Still Training for Tokyo 2021 While in Quarantine

Philip Ellis
·4 min read

From Men's Health

Following weeks of uncertainty amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the International Olympic Committee finally announced last weeks that the Summer Games, due to be held in Tokyo this July, will be postponed in the interests of public health. They are now slated to go ahead on July 23, 2021.

For many of the athletes in training, the Games represented the fulfilment of a lifelong dream — but a number of Olympians have posted on their social media to say that they agree with the decision. "Sport can wait, health can't," tweeted hockey player Hannah Martin from Team GB, while Team USA's softball pro Haylie McCleney said: "Mama always told me to be patient. 480 days. Just wait on it."

Figure skater Adam Rippon, who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics, advised disappointed Team USA athletes to look at this delay as an opportunity to improve even further in their sports. "Now that you have one year before the Olympics, focus on your health, this is a time for you to get even more prepared," he said. "You're going to be great, we're all with you, we're all cheering for you, we love you. Stay safe, wash your hands! And I can't wait to be cheering you on in Tokyo 2021."

And that's exactly what a number of Olympians have been doing while in quarantine: honing their skills and staying at the top of their game, even if it means improvising a little now that they're confined to their homes, not Olympic-grade training facilities.

Dutch swimmer Sharon v Rouwendaal fashioned herself an Olympic pool by attaching a tether to one side of the inflatable pool in her back yard, allowing her to still practice swimming lengths (even if she had to limit her time to 45 minutes due to the cold). It's a simple, smart hack that a number of keen swimmers are adopting so they can still get their cardio without leaving their properties.

Team USA's Kara Winger, meanwhile, gave a beginner's javelin-throwing tutorial, in case you're looking to take up a new sport while in quarantine (and you have the outdoor space). Hot tip: if you don't own a javelin, Winger assures us a broom will do just fine.

And Team GB's Gemma Howell explained to BloomBerg how she has recruited both her sister and her dogs to help in her judo training:

Other Olympians showed off some of their home workout tips. Roger Federer, a former gold medallist, taught tennis trick shots in the snow, while Ukrainian skater Aljona Savchenko demonstrated how to perform squats, lunges and hip thrusts while holding a baby.

And rower Cristian Rosso from Team Argentina shared his best workout for relieving tension, something which may be of use over the coming weeks.

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