BC athlete preparing for an Olympics like no other
Posted April 29, 2021 11:56 pm.
Last Updated April 30, 2021 12:25 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
RICHMOND (NEWS 1130) – It’s a nerve-wracking time to be an Olympic athlete – with the Tokyo Olympics set to be staged during a pandemic this summer.
Despite the release of so-called playbooks by organizers in Tokyo, there is apprehension among competitors about the risk of spreading COVID and about what the general atmosphere will be like during the Games.
“As robust as these playbooks are in terms of trying to reduce the risk, it would be absolutely naive to believe there would be no risk,” says Richmond racewalker Evan Dunfee, who is training for his second Olympics.
The playbooks for the 2021 Games outline how athletes will have restricted movement, minimum physical interaction, and daily testing.
“It’s going to be a huge personal risk but for me it’s something I’ve been training my entire life for, to compete against the rest of the world, so for me it’s worth the risk,” he says. “Personally, it’s how to mitigate the risk.”
Dunfee knows this Olympics won’t be like his last one.
“The way that it is going, we are going to be unwelcomed guests because the majority of the Japanese public don’t want this happening. The athletes are in a precarious position, but this our livelihood, it’s what we do,” he says.
Because crowds will be limited, if allowed at all, he won’t get the cheers he’s used to along the 50 kilometre route.
“The racewalk is one of the very few free events at the Olympics. It’s one of the saving graces, in my mind, about this event. It’s an event that is accessible, in normal times, to anyone,” he says. “Families can come out and watch the race and see the athletes up close. It is a huge element of what motivates me every day.”
He notes what would have been another highlight for athletes might not even happen for a lot of teams. Many smaller towns that were scheduled to host training sessions and camps have pulled out because public appearances will be forbidden and safety measures have been too costly to implement.
“That’s another huge element. Teams are losing their training facilities and training plans.”
Dunfee’s event as well as the marathon will be staged in Sapporo, 800 kilometres north of Tokyo. “There’s a good chance I won’t even get to step foot in Olympic Village, sadly.”
Canadian sports officials are pushing for vaccines for athletes, but Dunfee is conflicted about that.
“You could say my getting vaccinated reduces my risk of giving COVID to the Japanese public,” he says. “But I risk my standing in the community, if I’m perceived to be of a higher priority for the vaccine than others. It is a complex discussion, with tons of room for nuance.”
The summer Olympics take place between July 23 and Aug. 8.
