JOA salutes Olympians ahead of start of competition
THE Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), through its President Christopher Samuda, has commended the 50 athletes registered to represent Jamaica at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games which are ongoing here in Japan.
The first Jamaican athlete to enter competition is artistic gymnast Danusia Francis, who will wear bib number 356 on the uneven bars in rotation two at Ariake Gymnasium Centre slated for 15.10 pm here (approximately 1:10 am Jamaica time) on Sunday.
She will be followed by Alia Atkinson in the women’s 100m breaststroke when she competes during heat three, in lane six, at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
“As we kick off the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games with a splash with Alia we look with tremendous hope and optimism, as an Olympic movement, that we will claim victory in these games,” Samuda said.
“History has already been made with the representation of six disciplines and I am confident that inspiring stories will be written of feats of courage, personal achievement and national pride,” he continued.
Francis, who hurt her knee and was forced to restrict her routine to the uneven bars only, will go up against four competitors in her rotation – Peru’s Ariana Orrego, Poland’s Gabriela Sasnal, Chile’s Simona Castro and Turkey’s Nazli Savranbasi.
The 32-year-old Atkinson, meanwhile, will oppose even rivals in heat three and enters the event with the fourth-fastest time of 1:07.06 minutes.
The Netherland’s Tes Schouten (1:06.92), Belgium’s Fanny Lecluyse (1:06.97) and Julia Sebastian of Argentina with 1:06.98 minutes enter with faster times.
“The Jamaica Olympic Association salutes our sportsmen and sportswomen for their sacrifice and commitment. This is the pinnacle of sport, the dream come true and the moment in time, and the JOA is grateful to be a part of a history being created by our ambassadors in sport,” ended Samuda, who met with the delegation at the Athletes’ Village on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, athletes set to compete in track and field will have access to the training facility as of Sunday, as per schedule.
There were concerns among some members of the track and field discipline, most of whom arrived in Japan on Friday morning, about not being able to attend sessions at the facility.
But the IOC officials had long declared that all training facilities would only be opened five days prior to the start of that sporting discipline.
Chef de Mission Gary Peart told the Jamaica Observer last evening that all parties were made aware of the schedules, as prescribed by the officials.
“I had two virtual meetings with athletes and officials and it was stated,” he said, before adding that the two days between arrival and training were for acclimatisation.