by Alfonz Juck
Coronavirus, photo by Journalist Resource
This is how the COVID-19 virus affected the sport on 30 April 2020…
VIRUS IMPACT
PORT VILA (VAN): The 2021 Oceania Athletics Championships are to be conducted at Korman Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu. Oceania Athletics is currently working with the Local Organising Committee and the Vanuatu Government to finalise the dates of the Championships which are planned to be held during the month of May.
LAUSANNE (SUI): Swiss Wanda Diamond League leg Athletissima of Lausanne will not take place on August 20 as planned. It is currently impossible to allow a high number of people to gather in a confined area, such as a stadium, by the end of August, says a release from the organisers. “We will be reviewing alternative options and formats that could still be considered in order to offer athletes the possibility to compete,” it also says.
BRATISLAVA (SVK): Slovak Athletics federation plans to stage their national championships in Trnava on August 29-30. The date was chosen after the European Championships in Paris were cancelled. The Slovak officials also said they are still considering in which format and if at all to stage the 55th edition of PTS Meeting (WA Continental Tour Silver).
SEATTLE (USA): With the health and safety of the community being an utmost priority, and based on the direction and recommendations of public health agencies and local authorities in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon & ½ Marathon, originally scheduled for June 6-7, 2020 will not take place as planned. Future plans related to this event will be announced later.
FALMOUTH (USA): The New Balance Falmouth Road Race will be held virtually this year. The 48th edition will run from 15-29 August and see runners cover seven miles near their own homes. The first 5000 to enter when registrations open on 18 May will receive a free entry into next year’s race.
ROME (ITA): European Athletics partner Mondo is providing Italian athletes with portions of track to use at home. Although training facilities are being opened up to some of the top athletes, others still face a time in one of the worst affected countries by Covid-19. Ayomide Folorunso, former European U23 400m hurdles champion, Italian high jump No.1 Elena Vallortigara and the Italian 400m record-holder Davide Re are among those who have benefitted. “Each athlete received a customised order according to their space at home; whether it was indoors, or they had some type of courtyard. As we have a prefabricated product we had the possibility to unfurl the longer rolls in our warehouse, then cut them into five-metre pieces, roll them up again and then pack and deliver them to the athlete,” said a Mondo spokesperson. From European Athletics.
AMSTERDAM (NED): Adaptability has been key for coaches at professional running team NN Running in coping with pandemic restrictions. Patrick Sang, coach to world marathon record-holder Eliud Kipchoge, has not been able to coach his athletes in Kenya one-to-one but he relied more on feedback and trusting the athletes. “I decided that now is a time athletes should be doing general fitness and endurance and general strength training,” he said. Mersha Asrat, coach to Kenenisa Bekele, is trying to be positive. He said: “I have taken the view that the pandemic will pass,” explains Mersha. “No one yet knows when we will start competing again, but we have to prepare as if we are going to compete soon.” From NN Running.
PARIS (FRA): The French Athletics Federation has joined the #TousenBlanc initiative set up by athletes to support healthcare staff. The association will ask athletes to put on a white top and complete a challenge of either walking, running, jumping or throwing and upload it social media on 1-3 May. Renaud Lavillenie was earlier among the athletes who promoted the movement.
