T&T sprinter Jereem Richards remains skeptical of flying despite the Diamond League releasing a new provisional calendar on May 12. The shortened version of the season will see meets taking place in different cities almost every two days in August, September and October.
“I would definitely be skeptical about travelling to so many countries. It’s taking a risk. In some instances, it might be a risk that I have to take but in the event that I have to travel all I could possibly do is just be as safe as I can possibly be,” Richards told Guardian Media Sports as he helped out at a Republic Bank sponsored hamper drive, on Saturday.
This was at the National Association of Administrative Professionals of T&T (NAAP), NSA House, Woodbrook, Port-of-Spain.
However, Richards was happy to be in T&T when the borders were closed on May 22 as opposed to his training base in Alabama in the United States.
The 2017 World Championships gold medallist said, “I would definitely say that I am blessed that I had been in T&T when the lockdown started because I would have missed my family and I would have missed my friends. It would have been hard to be away from these people who I hold so close to my heart.”
While Richards was in favour of postponing the July-August Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to ensure the protection of human lives, the 26-year-old said it would be disappointing if the event, rescheduled for July 23 to August 8 in 2021, is cancelled altogether.
This week the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said if the Games cannot be held in 2021 it will be cancelled.
"If the Olympics is cancelled in 2021, I will be very disappointed but at the end of the day it’s all about being safe and the survival of humans. If we go out there and try to push something when it’s not safe for us to compete, it could be detrimental to a lot of people," Richards said.
A cancellation could spell the end of the Olympic dream for T&T karateka Chennise Charles, who has spent the last 12 months trying to qualify. It would be an historic moment if the Games do go ahead because for the first-time karate will feature. However, the sport is not on the schedule for the Paris 2024 Games.
“It would really crush my heart,” the 26-year-old said. “This is every karateka’s one shot at an Olympic dream. I have come to terms in my mind that the cancellation may be a possibility and if that happens I will shift my focus in helping the preparation to carry some youths to the Junior Olympic Games.”
While the verdict is out though, Charles, who is the only karateka from this country to be ranked in the top 100 in the world, continues to plan and prepare to qualify for the 2021 Games. A series of injuries in February proved to be a stumbling block in her qualification journey so she is happy to have some extra time to prepare.
Charles, who finished seventh at the 2019 Pan American Games said, “It really has given me more time to do rehab and to catch up in terms of the competition aspect of it. Any athlete could always do with some more time. I can definitely use that to my advantage.”
Charles said she felt she needed to help those who are in need during this pandemic as such, she started the initiative called Beyond the Medal, giving away 200 hampers and books to 200 young athletes. She says it is the first in what will be a series of hamper distributions.
