‘A MIXED BAG OF EMOTIONS, SADNESS BUT ALSO RELIEF’

MARATHON runner Stephen Scullion believes the majority of athletes who were aiming for Tokyo 2020 should look upon the extra year of preparation as a bonus. The Belfast native, who runs for Clonliffe Harriers, secured qualification by clocking 2:11.52 when finishing fifth at the Houston marathon back in January, argues that the novel way of viewing the delay might help athletes come to terms with it. ‘I’m not fully over the Olympics moving yet, but a great way to look at it is if you weren’t a medal prospect, then having an extra year is a gift,’ said Scullion, who secured qualification at the Houston marathon back in January. ‘For the medal prospects, it will simply make your Olympic dream a little harder. For most of us, it is a gift.’ Leona Maguire, who had made such a promising start to the 2020 LPGA Tour season, was grateful that the Games had been postponed, rather than cancelled. ‘It means our Olympic dreams are still alive,’ she said. Maguire had planned her year around the two majors in July and August as well as the Tokyo Olympics, as she claimed that the Rio Games were the highlight of her career so far. ‘It’s disappointing for everyone involved, not only the athletes but the support staff who have spent countless hours training, planning and preparing for these Games. As athletes, we appreciate that making sacrifices is part and parcel of sport and life. But this is bigger than sport, this is a global pandemic that hopefully we will never have to face again in our lifetime.’ Meanwhile, modern pentathlete Natalya Coyle conceded she was conflicted but accepted that the right decision had been made. ‘I’m a mixed bag of emotions. Sadness for all the years I’ve worked towards this goal and relief for the fact I can’t prepare as I’d liked, putting myself and others at risk even trying to train,’ said the Meath woman, who is preparing for her third Games. ‘I will be ready whenever I need to be for the Olympics. For now, the best way I can represent the Irish singlet is by staying at home and keep social distancing if I have to go out. Sport is a little footnote in the global battle we have ahead of us. The doctors, nurses, supermarket employees, postmen and women, bin men and women, all essential employees who are the heroes of today and tomorrow. Hopefully, in the future, I can give everyone something to cheer about.’