by Alfonz Juck
Coronavirus testing, photo by Journalist resource
This is how the COVID-19 virus affected the sport of global athletics on 22 April 2020…
VIRUS IMPACT
KINGSTON (JAM): Olympic Games 200 m gold medalist Don Quarrie did not agree with the suggestion by president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), Dr Warren Blake that athletes might have to choose between competing at the IAAF Athletics World Championships and the Commonwealth Games in 2022. He said the Jamaican athletes were “talented enough and gifted enough”, and with some planning by the organisers things should work out, allowing them to compete in more than one major championship in the period. From Jamaica Observer.
DURBAN (RSA): Due to Athletics South Africa Cov-19 guidelines, the FNB Durban 10k, set for 12 July, has been postponed. The new date has not been announced, iol.co.za reports.
DARMSTADT (GER): German federation DLV is going to support teaching, learning and testing. DLV will offer an extensive video collection with high-resolution movement examples from athletics.
INNSBRUCK (AUT): The three events which form part of the Golden Fly Series (on mobile facility The FlySwat) of street pole vault and long jump events have been moved in the calendar. The Innsbruck event will move from 6 June to 5 September. Bangkok’s meeting, which was due to take place on 22 May, will take place at the end of September (most likely 26 September). Liechtenstein will be moved forward one year, to 5 September, 2021.
COLOGNE (GER): Cologne’s anti-doping laboratory is reported 95% fewer tests than in previous years, laboratory head Mario Thevis reports. From DPA news agency.
TOKYO (JPN): The IOC has deleted a statement indicating that the Japanese government had agreed to cover the costs incurred by the postponement of the Olympics. Cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga subsequently denied an agreement had been made, insidethegames.biz reports.
NEW YORK (USA): Coogan’s, the famous athletics-themed bar in New York, has closed for good. Owners announced it had closed its doors on 17 March due to coronavirus and would not reopen.
EUGENE (USA): The US trials for next year’s Olympics will take place on 18-27 June in Eugene, USA Track and Field announced. The timetable will remain the same as for the originally scheduled 2020 event, though timings could be tweaked. Ticket-holders will have their tickets rolled over until next year.
NEW YORK (USA): All New York Road Runners in-person events are cancelled through June 30. That means the historic Mini10K won’t be held for the first time since the event’s inception in 1972. From David Monti twitter.
