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Articles tagged #Tokyo 2020 Olympics
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Sharon Lokedi, Hellen Obiri, Peres Jepchirchir and Brigid Kosgei to Race 2023 TCS New York City Marathon

Defending TCS New York City Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi, reigning Boston Marathon and United Airlines NYC Half champion Hellen Obiri, Olympic gold medalist and 2021 TCS New York City Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, and marathon world-record holder Brigid Kosgei will headline the women’s professional athlete field at the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 5.

When the four Kenyans line up in New York, it will be the first time in event history the reigning TCS New York City Marathon champion, Boston Marathon champion, Olympic champion, and world-record holder line up against each other in the TCS New York City Marathon.

Lokedi won the TCS New York City Marathon in her marathon debut last year, pulling away in the final two miles to finish in 2:23:23 and became the eighth athlete to win the race in their true 26.2-mile debut. In preparation for the marathon, Lokedi had raced the United Airlines NYC Half and the Mastercard New York Mini 10K, finishing fourth and second, respectively, in those races.

“Last year, I came into the TCS New York City Marathon with the goal of being in the thick of the race, and the result was better than I could have ever hoped for,” Lokedi said. “This year, I’m returning with a different mindset, hungry to defend my title and race against the fastest women in the world.”

Obiri is a two-time Olympic medalist and seven-time world championships individual medalist who earlier this year won the Boston Marathon in her second-ever attempt at the distance, in addition to winning the United Airlines NYC Half in her event debut. Obiri holds the Kenyan record for 3,000 meters and represented Kenya at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, earning silver medals in the 5,000 meters at both. In her marathon debut last year in New York, she finished sixth.

“With a year of marathon experience now under my belt, a win in Boston, and my move to the U.S., I’m coming to New York this year with more confidence and in search of a title,” Obiri said. “I’m excited to show the people of New York what I’m capable of and that my win at the United Airlines NYC Half in March was just the beginning.”

Jepchirchir is the only athlete to have won the Olympic marathon, TCS New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. She is also a two-time world championships gold medalist in the half marathon. In 2021, she won the Tokyo Olympic marathon to claim Kenya’s second consecutive gold medal in the event. Four months later, she won the TCS New York City Marathon, finishing in 2:22:39, the third-fastest time in event history and eight seconds off the event record. In April 2022, in a back-and-forth race that came down to the final mile, she fended off Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh to take the Boston Maraton title on Boylston Street in her debut in the race in 2:21:02. This April, she recorded another podium finish, taking third at the TCS London Marathon.

“I was so disappointed that I couldn’t defend my title in New York last year due to an injury, and winning again in Central Park has been my main motivation as I begin my preparations for the autumn,” Jepchirchir said. “New York is an important step in defending my Olympic gold medal next summer in Paris, and I will do my best to make my family and my country proud.”

Kosgei is the world-record holder in the marathon and has won an Olympic silver medal and five Abbott World Marathon Majors races; she will now make her TCS New York City Marathon debut. In 2019, Kosgei broke Paula Radcliffe’s 16-year-old world record by 81 seconds, running 2:14:04 to win the Chicago Marathon. It was her second Chicago Marathon victory, as she’d also won in 2018. Additionally, she won back-to-back London Marathons in 2019 and 2020, the Tokyo Marathon in 2022, and the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympic marathon.

“I am very excited to make my New York City debut this fall, and attempt to win my fourth different Major,” Kosgei said. “I am not worried about the course, as I have had success in hilly marathons before, but New York has always been about head-to-head competition, and I know I must be in the best possible shape to compete with the other women in the race.”

The 2023 TCS New York City Marathon women’s professional athlete field is presented by Mastercard®. The full professional athlete fields will be announced at a later date.

The 2023 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 5 will have 50,000 runners and be televised live on WABC-TV Channel 7 in the New York tristate area, throughout the rest of the nation on ESPN2, and around the world by various international broadcasters.

(08/10/2023) Views: 417 ⚡AMP
by Running USA
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TCS  New York City Marathon

TCS New York City Marathon

The first New York City Marathon, organized in 1970 by Fred Lebow and Vince Chiappetta, was held entirely in Central Park. Of 127 entrants, only 55 men finished; the sole female entrant dropped out due to illness. Winners were given inexpensive wristwatches and recycled baseball and bowling trophies. The entry fee was $1 and the total event budget...

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Cardboard beds for athletes to return at Paris 2024 Olympics

The infamous beds are back! 16,000 cardboard beds will be supplied for all Olympic and Paralympic athletes plus media.

The cardboard beds that went viral from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will make a resurgence at the 2024 Games in Paris. The 2024 Olympic organizing committee confirmed that they have selected Japanese mattress manufacturer Airweave, which will supply an impressive tally of 16,000 cardboard beds for all athletes housed in the Olympic and Paralympic Villages, as well as journalists staying at the Media Village.

To relieve any concerns about the size, these beds come in a standard dimension of nearly three feet wide and six and a half feet in length. However, the beds can be extended to 2.20 meters for tall athletic superstars (like seven-foot basketball player Victor Wembanyama of France). After all, we don’t want Olympians’ or Paralympians’ legs dangling off the end of the bed.

You might recall the frenzy on social media surrounding these cardboard beds during the previous Olympics. Some suggested that Tokyo 2020 organizers were being “anti-sex,” as if these beds were specifically engineered to sabotage athletes’ romantic and athletic endeavors. The rumors were swiftly debunked when videos flooded the app TikTok showing Olympic athletes jumping on the beds to test their sturdiness. 

Two-time U.S. Olympic 5,000m medalist Paul Chelimo shared his thoughts on the cardboard beds, stating that it likely wouldn’t be a problem for distance runners, and how they could probably fit four of them.

Motokuni Takaoka, the esteemed founder of Airweave, joined the athletes in this whimsical testing routine. He gleefully jumped on the beds himself to demonstrate their durability, exclaiming, “We have designed these cardboard beds for three or four people jumping because after winning a medal, athletes get very happy!” Who can argue with that?

Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet expressed his satisfaction with Airweave’s beds, praising their use of recycled materials in line with the organizing committee’s sustainability aspirations. “We were impressed by Airweave’s technology,” he said in a press release. “We know that we have a solid partner in terms of sustainability and delivery.”

When cardboard beds reach the end of their useful life at the Olympics, they are broken down and recycled. Unlike other materials that may contribute to landfill waste, cardboard is biodegradable, making them an easy eco-friendly choice to promote a greener Olympic Games.

(07/17/2023) Views: 451 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Former Canadian track star Michael Woods wins Tour de France stage

Michael Woods, 36, of Toronto had the best day of his cycling career Sunday, winning the ninth stage of the Tour de France. The sub-four-minute miler sat patiently behind leader Matteo Jorgenson of the Movistar team, who led the stage for 47 km, taking advantage of Jorgenson’s flagging energy only 400m from the top of the mythical Puy de Dôme and surging ahead for the stage win. Woods, a former 1,500m runner and Canadian record holder, rides for the Israel–Premier Tech team.

Woods and Jorgenson were part of an early breakaway of 14 riders that also included stage nine runner-up Pierre Latour of France and third-place finisher Matej Mohoric of Slovenia, as well as Canada’s Guillaume Boivin. The Puy de Dôme is a dormant volcano in the central massif of south-central France whose summit marks the culmination of the ninth stage of the Tour, which includes a number of challenging climbs

Originally from Ottawa, Woods has held the Canadian U20 mile record (3:57.48) and U20 3,000m record (7:58.04) since 2005. He was a multi-year national champion in running and won gold at the Pan American Junior Championships during his early years. Woods ran at the University of Michigan, but transitioned from running to cycling after repeated foot injuries brought a halt to his running career; he went pro as a cyclist in 2013 and made the Canadian Olympic team for Rio in 2016. He also competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, finishing fifth in the men’s individual road race.

In 2018, Woods won a stage in the Vuelta a España; like Sunday’s Tour stage win, it was at the culmination of a steep climb. He first competed in the Tour de France in 2019 (the first Canadian to compete in the Tour since 2016), riding for the US-based EF Education First team and finishing 32nd overall. He did not finish in 2021 or 2022, so Sunday’s stage victory represents a massive success for Woods, who is only the third Canadian to win a stage of the Tour, after Steve Bauer (who is now a sporting director with Israel-Premier Tech) won the first stage in 1988 and Hugo Houle won last year’s stage 16. He is also the oldest rider to win a mountaintop stage since Raymond Poulidor (who is Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel’s grandfather) won the stage culminating atop Saint-Lary-Soulan in the Pyrenees in 1974 at age 38.

2022 winner Jonas Vingegaard of Team Jumbo-Visma retains the yellow jersey but lost about eight seconds to the Slovenian superstar Tadej Pogacar. 

(07/15/2023) Views: 422 ⚡AMP
by Running magazine
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Joshua Cheptegei’s footsteps transforming Sebei region

Joshua Cheptegei admits to adoring the subject of literature during days in school. And that little element always manifests.

Cheptegei is relatively a more composed individual during his post-race interviews ever since he broke onto the scene with the 10000m gold medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon, USA.

This long-distance runner’s love for education has never withered. From his savings after claiming the 10000m title at the Doha World Championships in Qatar five years ago, he amplified the Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation (Jocdef).

That as well intensified his ambitions to impact his community in the Sebei region of eastern Uganda by acquiring the Kapchorwa Mountain Primary School.

It has since changed name to the Joshua Cheptegei Junior School and on Wednesday, the school officially opened a new two-storeyed multi-purpose hall and library worth about Shs450m.

This structure was built by Jocdef in partnership with the Embassy of Japan in Uganda. And understandably, Japanese Ambassador to Uganda HE Hidemoto Fukuzawa unveiled the building.

$120,000 school library

This is a big expression of the fruits of Cheptegei’s triumph over the 5000m and a 10000m bronze medal from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics two years ago.

“This project happened two years ago. It was about handing over the Olympic torch to him. After shooting the promotional video for the Tokyo Olympics, Joshua came to me and said ‘I have a dream’ and this is his dream,” said Fukuzawa.

The Japanese Embassy contributed $92000 (Shs345m) from the programme called the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) for communities.

“Every year we receive more than 400 applications to assist them in schools, blocks, picking seven projects is not easy. Selecting is a process. Not because it is Joshua Cheptegei but he went through,” admitted Fukuzawa. 

With every opportunity Cheptegei gets, he is hoping to not inspire but also work to change his community. Jocdef itself put together Shs106m to complete the building.

“This gift is a testament to the strong and enduring friendship between our two nations, and we are deeply grateful for the support and generosity of the Japanese people,” said Cheptegei, much to the delight of the school administration and pupils.

According to Kapchorwa district authorities, this is the first-ever library at a primary school and Cheptegei believes the building is already a source of pride and an inspiration for future generations.

Skilling the community

“With a capacity of up to 700 students, the hall will be a focal point for events and activities that promote cultural exchange, learning, and dialogue. The library, on the other hand, will provide a wealth of resources and knowledge to students and researchers alike, helping to advance our mission of promoting academic excellence and lifelong learning,” he added.

Jocdef is already providing scholarships to the needy, orphans and talented runners, a total of about 45 at the school while six are in secondary school and one has joined university.

A part of the building will be used to help young girls and women in hand skills like tailoring and in the future, men will be taught skills like plumbing, mechanics and driving.

Building the next Cheptegei

But, Jocdef’s impact is not only in education. The Jocdef athletics has partnered with Cheptegei’s Dutch management Global Sports Communication (GSC) to build future stars.

A bunch of teenagers have since represented Uganda at the recent World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia last year, the World Cross-country Championships in Bathurst, Australia in February and the ongoing Africa U18/U20 Athletics Championships in Zambia.

Jocdef has registered about 72 junior runners, some of whom are in a camp set up by Cheptegei in Teryet. “We are still at grass-root level so want to build the young athletes,” Jocdef's programmes director Abraham Kiplimo said.

Community outreach

The camp has two houses which can accommodate 30 athletes such as marathoners Stephen Kissa, Commonwealth champion Victor Kiplangat and Stella Chesang and has space for physiotherapy and gym and next to it is a murram running track with a football pitch.

In healthcare, they recently supplied a commercial washing machine to the Kapchorwa main hospital in 2021. Cheptegei hopes to build a health facility to aid mothers in the future.

Kiplimo is working on a plan to do garbage and plastic waste collection and encourage tree planting in communities across the three Sebei districts; Kapchorwa, Kween and Bukwo in partnership with TotalEnergies.

(05/06/2023) Views: 527 ⚡AMP
by Allan Darren Kyeyune
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Belarusian coach charged after 2020 Olympics defection scandal

Belarusian coach Yury Maisevich was charged by the AIU for the defection of Belarus sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya during the Tokyo Olympics.

On Thursday morning, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) laid charges against Belarusian coach Yury Maisevich for his treatment of sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who defected to Poland during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

One day before Tsimanouskaya was due to compete in the women’s 200m at the Tokyo Olympics, she accused officials from the Belarus Olympic Committee of forcing her to compete in the 4x400m relay without her consent. She complained about the situation in a video on social media, which led to criticism by the Belarus media, which claimed she lacked team spirit.

She was forced to miss her 200m race because of the incident. The next day she was taken to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and sent home, but she refused to board the flight back to Belarus.

The national team coach, Maisevich, and Belarusian Olympic official Artur Shumak both had their accreditation revoked by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after Tsimanouskaya claimed she was taken to the airport against her will. She sought help from the police in Japan; two weeks later, Tsimanouskaya, 26, received a humanitarian visa to Poland and safe passage to the country, which borders Belarus. She later became a Polish citizen, and is currently studying at the Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw.

In Sept. 2021,  IOC and World Athletics referred the matter to the AIU, charging Maisevich with breaching standards outlined in the Integrity Code of Conduct.

The AIU is an independent body created by World Athletics to manage all integrity issues (both doping-related and non-doping-related) for the sport of athletics.

The head of the AIU, Brett Clothier, explained in a press release: “An important role of the AIU is to safeguard athletes and protect them from harassment.”

The AIU alleges that, with respect to the circumstances of Tsimanouskaya’s removal from the Olympics,  “Maisevich did not act with integrity and acted in bad faith; failed to safeguard the athlete’s dignity and his actions constituted verbal and mental harassment; and that he brought athletics generally into disrepute.”

The AIU has not revealed the specifics of the charge and the implications for Maisevich’s future in the sport are not clear.

(01/19/2023) Views: 635 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Ugandan Solomon Mutai breaks Venice Marathon course record

Solomon Mutai is a happy man after beating his fellow African elite competitors to win the Venice Marathon in Italy on Sunday.

The experienced Ugandan gifted himself a day after his 30th birthday by posting a winning time of two hours, eight minutes and 10 seconds at the World Athletics Bronze Label Road Race.

“It was good and challenging,” Mutai said hours after his race. He became the ninth different nationality to conquer the course in Venice after breaking away from Kenyan Emmanuel Naibei and Ethiopian Abebe Tefese.

And the victory produced emotions out of the 2018 Commonwealth silver medallist. Upon crossing the tape, Mutai spread his arms wide and knelt down after being humbled by the feat.

“I am happy because it was not an easy race because there were too many bridges,” he said of the course difficulty.

This marks Mutai’s first win since winning his debut 42km race at the 2013 Mombasa Marathon in Kenya and it came with not only a personal best (PB) but also a new course record.

Also, this is Mutai’s best performance post Covid-19 pandemic since he took third place at the Vienna Marathon in Austria with the old PB of 2:08:25. 

Previously, he did not complete the Xiamen Marathon in Tuscany, Italy in early 2021 thereby missing out on selection to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 

When he finished third at the Istanbul Marathon in Turkey last November, it came after a time of 2:10:25 after countering hilly terrain towards the finish.

And early in April, Mutai could only post 2:11:01 in sixth place at the Enschede Marathon in the Netherlands.

On Sunday, Mutai was redefined and even better focused, thereby lowering his PB and also beat the previous course record mark of 2:08:13 set by Kenyan John Komen.

Mutai, a bronze medallist at the 2015 Beijing World Championships in China, was quiet in the mix, the lead group crossing through the 21km mark at 1:03:56.

After 30km, it was down to Mutai and Naibei but when they reached the Liberty Bridge some 4km ahead, Mutai made his move.

He pulled away in style, going around the River Sette Martiri to glory with Naibei clocking 2:09:41 while Tefese coming third in 2:09:54.

Mutai now moves third on the list of male marathoners in search of the three available tickets to the Budapest World Athletics Championships set for next August in Hungary.

(10/24/2022) Views: 820 ⚡AMP
by Allan Darren Kyeyune
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Venice Marathon

Venice Marathon

The Venice Marathon is one of the most beautiful marathons known for the historical, artistic and picturesque surrounding in which it takes place. It starts in Stra, a small village located at about 25 km west of Venice, at the beginning of the Riviera del Brenta, a beautiful area near the River Brenta, where the rich and noble Venetians built...

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Commonwealth Games relay champion Nwokocha given provisional doping ban

Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha, who was part of Nigeria's women's 4x100 metres relay team that dramatically won gold on the line at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for testing positive for a banned substance.

Nwokocha infamously dipped to the line to beat the hosts England on the anchor leg to put her team - also consisting of Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili and Rosemary Chukwuma - top of the podium.

The 21-year-old tested positive for ostarine and ligandrol, according to the AIU.

It could lead to England being promoted to gold in the relay and Jamaica moved into silver.

Australia would be promoted to bronze if Nigeria are disqualified.

Ostarine is an anabolic steroid that is not approved for human use or consumption in the United States, the country where Nwokocha has trained while at university.

Ligandrol is used to increase energy, improve athletic performance and increase muscle growth.

Testing positive for prohibited substances carries a penalty of up to four years, meaning the Nigerian could miss the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games if found guilty.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Nwokocha made the semi-finals of the women's 100m and 200m, reaching the same stage in both races at this year's 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene.

The Nigerian was fifth at Birmingham 2022 in the women's 100m final too.

Nwokocha also finished sixth this year in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 100m and 200m finals.

She is not the first prominent Nigerian to face a ban, with Olympic, world and Commonwealth champion Blessing Okagbare given a 10-year ban earlier this year for multiple cases of doping, as well as refusing to comply with the investigation.

Failures in Nigerian anti-doping left several athletes to miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, as they were deemed to have not been tested enough prior to the Games.

(09/05/2022) Views: 718 ⚡AMP
by Michael Houston
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Joshua Cheptegei is set to defend his world title at Oregon

Cheptegei, 25, currently holds the 5000m and 10000m world records, the Commonwealth double and the 5000m Olympic title, will also hope to wrestle the 5000m title from Ethiopian Edris Muktar. 

Now Cheptegei, who is bidding to defend his world title over the 25-lap distance, will lead Africa’s quest for glory on the west coast of the USA.

Silver medalist over the same distance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics last August, Cheptegei’s title defence will be backed up by Stephen Kissa and world half-marathon champion Jacob Kiplimo on Sunday.

There are others like Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot will face stiff competition from Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen over the 1500m distance.

Other African stars set to bid for glory include South African sprinter Akani Simbine, Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon, Burkina Faso’s world triple jump bronze Hugues Zango among others.

According to World Athletics, 37 of the 43 individual winners from Doha will aim to defend their titles in Eugene.

Besides the champions from Doha, 42 individual gold medal winners at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are in Eugene too.

TEAM UGANDA TO OREGON WORLDS:

Women: H. Nakaayi (800m),

W. Nanyondo (1500m),

P. Chemutai (3000m Steeplechase),

E. Chebet (5000m),

M. Chelangat (10000m),

S. Chesang (10000m),

I. Chemutai (Marathon)

Men: T. Orogot (200m),

R. Musagala (1500m),

P. Maru (5000m),

O. Chelimo (5000m),

J. Kiplimo (10000m),

S. Kissa (10000m),

J. Cheptegei (5000m & 10000m),

F. Chemonges, F. Musobo & J. Kiprop (Marathon)

That starts with Japanese Toshikazu Yamanishi who will attempt to retain his 20km race walk final on the morning programme of Day 1 action tomorrow.

(07/14/2022) Views: 792 ⚡AMP
by Allan Darren Kyeyune
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World Athletics Championships Budapest23

World Athletics Championships Budapest23

Budapest is a true capital of sports, which is one of the reasons why the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 is in the right place here. Here are some of the most important world athletics events and venues where we have witnessed moments of sporting history. Throughout the 125-year history of Hungarian athletics, the country and Budapest have hosted numerous...

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Indian sprinter Dutee Chand is set to hang up her spikes after competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Dutee Chand, who has represented India at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, announced her decision to retire in an interview with ESPN after losing the 200m race to teen sprinter Priya Mohan at the Khelo India University Games. 

“I'm growing old, I'm not as fast as I used to be,” the 26-year-old Dutee Chand, who won silver medals in 100m and 200m races at the Asian Games in 2018, admitted. “I'll pull along for two-three more years if my body cooperates.”

Despite losing the 200m sprint to the 19-year-old Priya Mohan, Dutee Chand managed to win two medals at the Khelo India University Games. She successfully defended her title in the 100m sprint earlier in the Games.

However, Dutee Chand clocked only 11.68 seconds in the 100m, far from her personal best and national record of 11.17 seconds she achieved at the Indian Grand Prix in Patiala last year.

“My body is becoming slower and I began training quite late this season,” Dutee Chand reasoned.

Dutee Chand is also yet to meet the qualification standards set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the Commonwealth Games (11.31s) and the Asian Games (11.36s), scheduled to be held later this year. 

For qualifying for the World Athletics Championships in July, Dutee Chand will need to better her personal best and clock 11.15s to make the cut in the 100m event.

“I've already participated in five events this year to make the cut for these international events… I'm confident of hitting my peak in June-July before the international circuit begins,” Dutee Chand reckoned.

Dutee Chand, who shot to fame after winning the 100m under-18 nationals in 2012, went on to become one of India’s most successful sprinters after PT Usha. 

In 2014, Dutee Chand won the 200m gold medal at Asian Junior Athletics Championships and in 2016, she set a 60m national record (7.28 seconds) at the Asian Indoor Championships to clinch the bronze medal.

After winning two silver medals at the Asian Games in 2018, Dutee Chand became the only Indian to win the gold medal at World University Games in 2019. 

Dutee Chand’s 200m silver medal at the Asian Games was also the first Indian medal in the category since PT Usha’s gold medal in 1986.

In 2022 so far, Dutee Chand won her 100m run at the national inter-university championships in 11.44 seconds in February followed by gold at the Federation Cup in 11.49 seconds in March.

Dutee Chand also made clear her plans to open up 'Dutee Chand Athletics Speed Academy' in Odisha after her retirement to train aspiring sprinters.

(05/04/2022) Views: 785 ⚡AMP
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Eliud Kipchoge has been named best male athlete of Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge on Sunday won the Best Male Athlete accolade during the 2021 Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Awards held in Greece.

Kipchoge delivered a masterclass in marathon running, breaking away at the 30-kilometre mark and never looking back to retain his Olympic title in two hours, eight minutes and 38 seconds during the Tokyo Olympics in August.

He became only the third man to defend the Olympic men’s marathon title after Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila (1960 and 1964) and East Germany’s Waldemar Cierpinski (1976 and 1980).

The victory at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was Kipchoge’s 13th success in the 15 marathons he has raced in since 2013. He broke the world record in 2018 when he timed 2:01.39 in the Berlin Marathon.

On October 12, 2019, Kipchoge timed 1:59.40 at the Ineos 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria. But the time did not count as a new marathon record since standard competition rules were not followed. 

"It is an honor to win the ANOC Award for the Best Male Athlete at the Tokyo Olympics. With so many beautiful performances by so many athletes, I am proud to be the recipient of this award. Thank you all for your great support," the world record holder said.

He received his award from the president of Association of National Olympics Committee of Africa Mustapha Berraf at the Open Air Theatre of the Creta Maris Beach Hotel, in Greece.

The awards were organized by ANOC to celebrate the achievements of athletes at the Tokyo Games.

(10/25/2021) Views: 944 ⚡AMP
by Brian Yonga
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While Kenya still mourns the death of Tirop another tragedy has shaken the country

While Kenya still mourns the death of 10km world record holder Agnes Jebet Tirop, who was allegedly stabbed by her husband in the abdomen, another tragedy with clear signs of domestic violence has shaken the country.

In this case, a 27-year-old, Edith Muthoni was allegedly shot in the head on the night of October 12 after a violent argument with her boyfriend, Kennedy Nyamu, who has already been arrested to be questioned by police.

The police arrested a young man on charges of killing his girlfriend, Edith Muthoni, 27, on Tuesday night. Kennedy Nyamu was accused of killing the girl by hitting her in the head after a domestic dispute.

According to Muthoni’s sister, Jane Nyawira King’uru, Edith was allegedly attacked after picking up her boyfriend’s phone. “She and her boyfriend had been together for three years. The two had a fight over Nyamu’s phone on the night of the murder,” Nyawira stressed.

Muthoni was well known for having run good times in local races.  Her boyfriend served as a community scout for the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) in Embu County. Edith was taken to the hospital and died shortly afterwards.  

On the same day Tirop’s husband was arrested in Changamwe, Mombasa, Kenya. According to a police note, cited by local media, the man was driving a car when he was arrested. Tirop, 25, was part of the team that represented Kenya at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where she competed in the 5,000 meters, finishing fourth.  

The death of Muthoni follows that of Agnes Jebet Tirop, who was one of the best athletes in the history of Kenya.

"Kenya has lost a jewel who was one of the fastest-rising athletics giants on the international stage, thanks to her eye-catching performances on the track," Athletics Kenya noted through a statement after Tirop's passing away.

"Just last month, she broke the women-only record in the women's 10km at Road to Records Race in Germany, timing 30:01."

Edith Muthoni was a short distance runner with personal best of 26.30 seconds in 200m and 55.98 seconds in 400m.

 

(10/14/2021) Views: 1,076 ⚡AMP
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Extensive COVID-19 countermeasures to be in place at New York City Marathon

The New York City Marathon is set to have extensive COVID-19 countermeasures in place, with organisers eager for the race to run on November 7 after the 2020 edition was cancelled because of the pandemic.

Runners will need to provide proof of at least one vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test from within 48 hours of race day to compete.

Efforts have also been made to reduce crowding throughout the event.

The three-day Expo prior to the race has been closed to the general public and the number of attendees at any one time has been restricted.

The start of the race will be staggered across multiple waves in an attempt to maintain social distancing.

On the course, runners will be permitted to wear hydration belts in order to reduce crowding at drinks stations dotted along the track.

Family members will also be banned from the finish area to reduce the risk of overcrowding.

Face coverings are set be required at the Expo, on public transportation during race day, at the race start, and at the post-finish area.

Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir is set to compete in the elite women's race after winning the women's marathon gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The event is the last of the six World Marathon Majors, preceded by Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin and Chicago.

The Tokyo race has been rescheduled to March 6 2022.

The Berlin Marathon is set to take place tomorrow in what will be its first edition since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, while the other four all take place over the space of seven weeks.

Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia is due to be competing in Germany as the three-time Olympic gold medallist - all over shorter distances than the marathon - looks to retain his Berlin title.

In the 2019 edition, Bekele finished two seconds shy of the world record set by Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge, and has vowed to attack the mark at tomorrow's race.

(09/25/2021) Views: 889 ⚡AMP
by Owen Lloyd
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TCS  New York City Marathon

TCS New York City Marathon

The first New York City Marathon, organized in 1970 by Fred Lebow and Vince Chiappetta, was held entirely in Central Park. Of 127 entrants, only 55 men finished; the sole female entrant dropped out due to illness. Winners were given inexpensive wristwatches and recycled baseball and bowling trophies. The entry fee was $1 and the total event budget...

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Rwanda’s Felicien Muhitira will return to action ahead of Paris Marathon

Rwanda’s long distance runner Felicien Muhitira has returned to action as he prepares to compete at the forthcoming 2021 Paris Marathon slated for October 17 in Paris, France.

The 26-year-old will be participating at the marathon race in search of qualification to the 2022 World Athletics Championship slated from July 15-24, 2022 in Oregon, United States.

It was originally scheduled for August 6–15, 2021 but the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo 2020 Olympics prompted the need for postponement of the race, too, into 2022.

The Paris Marathon is one of Europe’s most popular sporting events and Muhitira aims to take advantage of the golden race to improve his current minima that would see him qualify to the World Championships. 

“The Paris Marathon is a good opportunity for me to improve my performance so I can not only qualify to the World Athletics Championships but also try to impress and get a chance to be invited in bigger marathon events in the future,” vows Muhitira in an interview with Times Sport.

Since he recovered from illness, Muhitira has been under intensive training sessions in Nyagatare as he targets to hit at least 2hours 08 minutes at Paris race so he can be able to land more marathon opportunities beyond World Championships.

The itinerary of the Paris Marathon, which normally attracts over 40,000 runners each year, will start on Les Champs Elysées.

(09/01/2021) Views: 1,085 ⚡AMP
by Eddie Nsabimana
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Schneider Electric Paris Marathon

Schneider Electric Paris Marathon

The Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris offers a unique opportunity to make the city yours by participating in one of the most prestigious races over the legendary 42.195 km distance. The Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris is now one of the biggest marathons in the world, as much for the size of its field as the performances of its runners....

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What's next for Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge after Olympics?

Retirement is the last thing in the mind of Olympic marathon men's champion Eliud Kipchoge.

This came out clearly on Wednesday when the world record marathon holder arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi from Tokyo, Japan, where he had successfully defended his Olympic maratthon crown. 

In the race held last Sunday on the streets of Sapporo, Kipchoge claimed gold after timing two hours, eight minutes and 38 seconds to become only the third man to win consecutive marathon titles. 

Dutchman Abdi Nageeye bagged silver in 2:09.58, while Belgian Bashir Abdi settled for bronze in 2:10.00. 

Responding to questions from journalists moments after landing at JKIA, alongside 1500m silver medalists Timothy Cheruyot and marathoner Ruth Chepngetich, the 36-year-old remained non-committal on whether he would hang his boots after the triumph in Japan.

He gave the analogy of how parents who are blessed with a baby never plan for the next one immediately, saying he will announce his next plans in one-month's time. 

“I think it is good not to ask about retirement…When your wife delivered the first child, did you plan for the next one immediately?" Posed Kipchoge to a journalist, who responded in negation. 

Government officials who welcomed the athletes at the airport said the event was low key due to Covid-19 containment protocols which prohibit large gatherings. They said a ceremony will be held at a later day to celebrate all the athletes who made Kenya proud in Tokyo.

Kipchoge, who has earned the title G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) from his supporters due his unmatched success in athletics, said he is not bothered by the time he posted in Tokyo, noting that winning in the Olympics is to inspire people that everything is possible.

“We trained very well, participated in a good way and got the best results…To run in the Olympics is about humanity. It is about winning and showing the world that we as human beings can do it. It is not about how fast or slow you are,” said the father of three. 

The victory at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was Kipchoge’s 13th success in the 15 marathons he has raced in since 2013. He broke the world record in 2018 when he timed 2:01.39 in the Berlin Marathon.

About his future plans, Kipchoge reiterated that he will be nurturing talents. 

“I have a huge plan to inspire the youth and everybody in this world. I want to make running a Kenyan lifestyle. I want to make the young people to respect the sport, treat it like a real profession," he said.

(08/11/2021) Views: 983 ⚡AMP
by Victor Otieno
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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30 runners DNF in Sapporo heat

It wasn’t as fast as we’ve come to expect, but from 30K in, there was never any doubt that Eliud Kipchoge was on his way to a repeat performance of his 2016 Olympic marathon win. He stepped on the gas and immediately started to put distance between himself and the rest of the small lead pack, crossing the finish line in 2:08:38, a minute and 20 seconds ahead of the next finisher. The race for silver and bronze was won by lesser known runners, Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands (silver, in a season’s best 2:09:58) and Bashir Abdi of Belgium, who crossed the line for the bronze medal two seconds later, in 2:10:00 (also a season’s best time).

With this win, Kipchoge joins the greats who have won back-to-back marathons at an Olympic Games. He is the third runner to do so – and in 2024, he will have the chance to become the only athlete ever to three-peat in the marathon.

Nageeye is one of Kipchoge’s training partners on the NN Running Team. This was his best marathon performance, in terms of finishing position; he has two top-10 finishes at the Boston Marathon (seventh in 2018 and eighth in 2016). The same is true for Abdi, who is a training partner of Mo Farah’s and paced Farah to his one-hour world record on the track in 2020. His best finish before today was seventh at the 2019 London Marathon.

Despite the heat, Canadians Ben Preisner, Trevor Hofbauer and Cam Levins had excellent races, Preisner in particular, who finished in 46th position, in 2:19:27), followed closely by Hofbauer in 48th (2:19:57). Preisner was in 73rd position at 5K and made steady progress as he made his way up throughout the race. Levins was in good shape through the first half, but was not able to maintain the pace, dropping to 72nd in 2:28:43 – a very respectable result, considering the high attrition rate.

Heat and humidity result in multiple DNFs

It was another hot, muggy morning in Sapporo for the final event of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The lead pack consisting of Kipchoge, defending bronze medallist from 2016 and U.S. Trials winner Galen Rupp and 2019 world champion Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia, among others, set off at 7 a.m., settling into a comfortable pace of just over three minutes per kilometre. Jeison Alexander Suarez of Colombia maintained a position at or near the front for more than half of the race as athletes stuffed their hats with ice to keep their bodies as cool as possible.

Around halfway, Kipchoge was seen exchanging fist bumps with Daniel Do Nascimento of Brazil, but a short time later, Do Nascimento collapsed, then rallied, then dropped out. By halfway, 10 men had already left the course, including 2012 Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich, 2020 London Marathon winner Shura Kitata and Jack Rayner of Australia, who was one of Kipchoge’s pacers at INEOS 1:59. Sisay Lemma (third at Berlin and Tokyo marathons, with a PB of 2:03) appeared to be struggling soon thereafter. Galen Rupp led the pack briefly, but for the most part appeared willing to let others do the work at the front; he ended up finishing eighth. By 27K, the lead pack had dwindled to about 10, with Kipchoge, Rupp and Suarez leading; Japanese record holder Suguru Osaka was still in the lead pack, as was Desisa.

At 30K, Rupp dropped further and further off the pace. Amos Kipruto also dropped back (eventually joining the long list of DNFs), and the chase pack dwindled to 2019 Boston Marathon winner Lawrence Cherono, Ayad Lamdassem of Spain, Nageeye and Abdi. Osaka tried to come back to them, as Kipchoge stormed toward the finish line with a bounce in his step. Cherono ultimately finished fourth, Lamdassem fifth and Osako sixth.

Top 10 finishers

Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)

Abdi Nageeye (Netherlands)

Bashir Abdi (Belgium)

Lawrence Cherono (Kenya)

Ayad Lamdassem (Spain)

Suguru Osako (Japan)

Alphonce Felix Simbu (Tanzania)

Galen Rupp (USA)

Othmane El Goumri (Morocco)

Koen Naert (Belgium)

(08/08/2021) Views: 850 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen takes 1,500m gold in Olympic record

In the last individual final on the track at Olympic stadium, the young Norwegian, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, has taken the gold medal, outkicking his Kenyan rival, world champion Timothy Cheruiyot in a furious race over the final 200m. Ingebrigtsen crossed the line in 3:28.33, an Olympic record surpassing the one set just a few days ago by Abel Kipsang, who finished fourth.

Cheruiyot took silver in 3:29.01. Great Britain’s Josh Kerr unleashed a monster kick to take the bronze medal, only 0.04 seconds behind Cheruiyot.

The field looked on race favorite and world champion to take the race out swiftly, and he did. The Australian, Stewart McSweyn, looked strong in third place in the first few laps, with Ollie Hoare and Team GB’s Jake Wightman following closely behind but they fell off as they reached the bell. With one lap to go, Cheruiyot took off, with Ingebrigtsen right on his heel, but ultimately he didn’t have enough left in the tank to secure the race.

This is Ingebrigtsen’s first Olympic medal in his Games debut. The Norwegian, who is only 20, has a prolific resume over the European circuit, finishing fourth in this event at the world championships in Doha in 2019.

This is the final day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The final events are the men’s 4x400m final and the men’s marathon.

(08/07/2021) Views: 1,004 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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Olympic Sprinter Switzerland's Alex Wilson Banned From Tokyo 2020 Denies Doping, Blames U.S. Meat

A Swiss sprinter who blamed failing an anti-doping test on meat he ate in the U.S. will not compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reinstated his ban on Wednesday.

Jamaica-born Alex Wilson, who was scheduled to race in the 100m and 200m, was suspended in April by the Swiss anti-doping agency after testing positive to trenbolone—a banned steroid—in an out-of-competition test back in March.

Wilson maintained he was clean and attributed the positive test to contaminated meat he ate in a Jamaican restaurant in the U.S. and successfully appealed the ban, which was lifted earlier this month by Swiss Olympic—the umbrella organization that covers Swiss sports and the Swiss Olympic Committee.

World Athletics, however, appealed the decision to CAS, which reinstated the ban.

"The Panel concluded that the provisional suspension imposed on the athlete on April 28 2021 should not have been lifted by the Disciplinary Chamber of Swiss Olympic," CAS said in a statement.

"It follows that the decision of the disciplinary chamber of Swiss Olympic dated July 2 2021 is set aside and the provisional suspension shall be reinstated with immediate effect.

"The present CAS decision does not prejudge in any way the decision which will be rendered by Swiss Olympic later on, once the disciplinary proceedings will have been completed."

In an official response following the ruling by CAS, Swiss Olympic said it regretted the incident.

"Swiss Olympic very much regrets this case and would be very disappointed if the offense was confirmed," the statement read.

"Swiss Olympic is convinced that the fight against doping must be conducted with all consistency."

The bronze medalist in the 200m at the European Championships in 2018, Wilson broke the European record in the 100m with a time of 9.84 earlier this month at a meeting in Marietta, Georgia.

While the record was not ratified it marked a significant improvement from Wilson's previous six performances over the distance this year, where he had never clocked a time below 10.38.

Wilson isn't the only athlete due to compete in Tokyo to have been suspended over alleged anti-doping violations.

On July 14, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) announced two swimmers due to represent the Russia Olympic Committee at the 2020 Olympics had been provisionally suspended.

(07/28/2021) Views: 1,033 ⚡AMP
by Dan Cancian
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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Women that have been barred from Olympics for being manly

One day, Annet Negesa was pushing her body to endure and make her the champion she believed she was born to be. On another day, her Olympics dreams were crushed because she was faster, stronger.

Annet Negesa reportedly still harbours intentions to run for her country. She runs every day, with the hope of returning to international competitions one day. 

Hers is a case of unfinished business, a dream that was cut short in June 2012 when she received a call from a doctor from track and field’s world governing body telling her, according to the New York Times newspaper - that “she would no longer be competing in the London Olympics because her testosterone levels were too high for competition,” thereby giving her an unfair advantage over other female athletes.

Negesa, 20 then, was one of Uganda’s top athletes. On the back of her London preparations, she set a national record for 800 metres earlier that year at a meet in Netherlands.

She was a three-time national champion and brought home a gold medal at the 2011 All-Africa Games.

She identifies as female and was born with external female genitalia but also with internal male genitalia that produce levels of testosterone that men do.

Most women, including elite female athletes, have natural testosterone levels of 0.12 to 1.79 nanomoles per litre, according to World Athletics. The typical male range after puberty is reportedly much higher, at 7.7 to 29.4 nanomoles per litre.

After years of litigation, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2019 upheld World Athletics’ testosterone restrictions for female athletes in races with distances from 400 meters to the mile after renowned athlete Caster Semenya (we shall get to her later in the article), filed an appeal.

The court ruled by a 2-to-1 vote that the restrictions were indeed discriminatory but also a “necessary, reasonable and proportionate” means of achieving the World Athletics goal of preserving a level playing field in women’s track events.

Therefore intersex athletes (these are said to be roughly one in every 2,000 births), who want to participate in middle-distance women’s track events must take hormone-suppressing drugs and reduce testosterone levels to below five nanomoles per litre (5 nmol/L) for six months before competing, then maintain those lowered levels.

Unfortunately, the intervention seems to have come seven years late for Negesa, who claims World Athletics physician Dr Stéphane Bermon gave her surgery as her first option to reduce testosterone levels in 2012. 

But Negesa has since battled persistent headaches and achy joints that have not allowed her to pursue her career. Her postoperative care, which according to documents seen at the Kampala Hospital by the New York Times should have been recommended in further discussions with Dr Bermon, did not include the kind of hormone treatment that might have helped her body adjust to the change.

After Negesa appeared in a ‘break the silence’ documentary on German television’s ARD network in October 2019, World Athletics issued a statement denying that it participated in or recommended a specific treatment to Negesa.

Third category

Nine years after Negesa’s predicament, another recommendation to World Athletics; to introduce a third category of events in order to allow competitors with high testosterone levels to compete in their preferred disciplines, seems to be gathering steam after Kenyan 800m runner Margaret Wambui was ruled out of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“It would be good if a third category for athletes with high testosterone was introduced; because it is wrong to stop people from using their talents,” Wambui told BBC Sport Africa.

The sport’s governing body, World Athletics, says it has no plans to introduce such a category and will stick to its current classifications of men’s and women’s events.

The idea of a third category in athletics has been floated before, but Wambui is the first athlete to express outright support for the suggestion.

“We would be the first people to compete in that category - so we can motivate others who are hiding their condition,” she said.

Since World Athletics introduced its latest rules governing DSD (disorders of sex development) athletes in 2018, not one of the three athletes who stood on the 800m podium in Rio has contested the distance at a global international championship.

At the 2016 Games, Wambui was beaten to gold by Semenya and silver by Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba.

“It is sad to see that the whole podium won’t be there.”  “They cut short our careers, because that wasn’t our plan. I feel bad that I won’t be in the Olympics because of World Athletics rules,” says Wambui.

(07/26/2021) Views: 1,074 ⚡AMP
by Daily Monitor
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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The chief of the Games has stated that a last-minute cancelation of the Olympics remains an option

When the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were originally postponed, organizers were hopeful that by 2021 the COVID-19 pandemic would be well in our rearview mirror. As the virus continued to affect countries around the world, the Olympics became the centrepiece of a global debate: should the Games be canceled? Organizers have been adamant that the Games will go forward as planned, and months of planning have gone into putting rules and protocols in place to prevent them from becoming a super-spreader event. As athletes and officials have begun arriving in the Olympic Village, it appears as though the fears held by many are coming true, and the first cases of COVID-19 in the Village have officially been reported.

The first case was confirmed on Saturday (July 17). The affected individual was not an athlete, but an official connected to the Games. According to Inside the Games, they had not tested positive upon arrival in the Tokyo airport, but a test taken during the screening process at the Village returned the positive result. The official is now in a 14-day quarantine.

“We are making sure to do everything possible to ensure that there is no COVID-19 outbreak,” Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto said. “We are sparing no efforts. We are doing everything we can to prevent any outbreaks.”

Hashimoto added that should there be an outbreak, they will have a plan in place to contain it. Still, this case comes as a significant concern to organizers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who have promised the Olympic Village will be the safest place in the city. As of Saturday, there had been 14 more positive cases connected with the Games since July 1 for a total of 44 during that period, although those cases did not occur in the athletes’ Village. Four of them were reportedly from “Games connected personnel”, while seven others came from contractors working on the Olympics and two more from members of the foreign media.

Unfortunately, the positive results have not stopped there. As athletes have begun arriving at the Village ahead of the first day of the Games this Friday, 10 more positive tests were reported on Sunday, including two South African soccer players and one other athlete, who tested positive upon arrival at the Tokyo airport. This brings the total number of positive cases associated with the Games up to 55 since July 1.

Several teams from other countries have now been forced into isolation due to issues with COVID-19, including members of the Athletics (track and field) team from the U.K. Six athletes and two staff members have been forced into isolation after a passenger on their flight to Japan tested positive, and they were identified as close contacts.

“This was identified through Tokyo 2020’s reporting service and the group have since started a period of self-isolation in their rooms at the BOA’s preparation camp, in line with Tokyo 2020’s Playbook protocols,” the British Olympic Association (BOA) said. “The group all tested negative at the airport and have continued to test negative upon arrival into the country. They are under the supervision of the Team GB medical team, led by chief medical officer Dr. Niall Elliott.”

These positive tests are alarming and call into question how issues surrounding the virus will affect the athletes’ ability to prepare for competition, even those who don’t produce a negative test. The IOC has stated that at least 85 per cent of the athletes and staff who will be staying in the Village have been vaccinated, but as more athletes continue to arrive in Tokyo, the risks for spreading the virus will only get higher. As of the Tuesday, the total positive case count has reached 65, and the chief of the Games has reportedly not ruled out a last-minute cancelation should the situation continue to worsen.

(07/20/2021) Views: 1,263 ⚡AMP
by Brittany Hambleton
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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Ever Wonder How Much an Olympics Medal is Worth?

This year, one of the world's largest precious metals wholesale trading firms, Dillon Gage Metals, is sharing secrets behind the globally recognized Olympic medals athletes train so hard to obtain. The value of an Olympic medal is said to be worth quite a bit, and with the major sporting event just around the corner-beginning July 23 through August 8, in Tokyo, Japan-all eyes will be glued to the television wondering who is going home with a precious piece of history.

The design of the Tokyo medals, designed by Junichi Kawanishi, reflects the ideology that athletes must always strive to achieve glory and victory daily. The design incorporates light and brilliance in the shape of polished stones, symbolically mirroring the warm glow of friendship, diversity, and representation, and the athletes' energy and those who continue to uplift them.

"The value of gold is a curious inquiry we receive all the time, especially around the time of the Olympics," said Terry Hanlon, president of Dillon Gage Metals. 'It's one of the most discernible medals in the world, and it's only natural for individuals to be curious about what it's made of and its true value. Most medals awarded during the sporting event aren't worth much because they aren't solid gold but rather silver with gold plating."

So, the question resides, how much is an Olympic medal actually worth? Every gold medal that athletes receive for their accomplishments is comprised of 99.9 percent silver and 6 grams of plated gold, weighing about 556 grams. Subtracting the gold from the silver brings the medal down to 550 grams in weight, while silver and bronze are a lesser metal weight at 550 grams and 450 grams respectively.

Considering it takes 31.1033 grams to equal a troy ounce, and if the silver is truly pure silver, it takes some simple mathematics to discover the true value of the Olympic medals. Taking these numbers plus the current trade price of silver, approximately $26.00, and utilizing a common equation, the estimated value of gold can be calculated.

The equation includes grams divided by troy ounce, then multiplying by trade price to find the dollar amount. In practical terms to solve for the total dollar amount in silver, use 550g/31 x $26.00 to equal $461.29.

In addition to the previous calculation, then add in 6 grams to account for the gold plating. In today's currency, an ounce of gold is trading approximately for $1,808. Using the same equation to solve the gold composition: 6g/31 x $1,817 = $350.75.

Combined, the gold and silver composition's value for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold medal is approximately worth $812.04. And the value for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics silver medal is approximately worth $461.29.

But no matter the actual value of all these medals, to compete on the world stage of the Olympics, one of the most prestigious sports competitions, is truly priceless. Dillon Gage Metals wishes every Olympian luck and sends their support to each nation's competitors during the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

(07/17/2021) Views: 731 ⚡AMP
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Olympian Abdalelah Haroun dies at age 24 after car crash in Doha

Abdalelah Haroun, bronze medallist at the 2017 World Championships in London, has died aged 24. Qatar Athletics Federation chairman Mohammed Issa al-Fadala announced that he was killed in an incident in Doha, and mourned losing "a great hero". Haroun was seeking to qualify for the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Qatari sprinter Abdalelah Haroun has died after a car crash in Doha, aged 24.

Haroun won the bronze medal in the 400m at the 2017 World Championships in London, and was seeking to qualify for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

He also won silver in the 400m at the World Indoor Championships in 2016, and double gold in the 400m and 4x400m at the Asian Games in 2018.

"Qatar sports and athletics, on a global level, lost a great hero," said Qatar Athletics Federation chairman Mohammed Issa al-Fadala.

(06/26/2021) Views: 968 ⚡AMP
by Euro Sport UK
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Petition to cancel Tokyo 2020 Olympics submitted with 350,000 signatures

A petition calling for the cancellation of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has been submitted to organisers, having reached 350,000 signatures in just nine days.

The submission of the petition comes amid rising COVID-19 cases in Japan, while concerns over the fate of the Games have grown due to Japan's low vaccination rate, the spread of new variants and the state of emergency in place in Tokyo and other prefectures.

"Stop Tokyo Olympics" campaign organiser and former Tokyo Governor candidate Kenji Utsunomiya said the Games, due to open on July 23, should only be held when Japan can welcome athletes and foreign visitors with little restriction.

"We are not in that situation and therefore the Games should be cancelled," Utsunomiya said.

"Precious medical resources would need to be diverted to the Olympics if it's held."

Utsunomiya, who is also a lawyer, finished second in last year's Tokyo gubernatorial election behind incumbent Yuriko Koike after winning over 800,000 votes.

The petition was also submitted to Tokyo Governor Koike.

Tokyo is to remain under a state of emergency until at least the end of the month due to rising COVID-19 cases.

Japan recorded 7,058 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, close to the daily high of 7,855 from January 9.

Another 101 deaths related to the virus were also reported in the Olympic and Paralympic host country yesterday.

When asked about the petition, Koike said she would work towards a "safe and secure" Olympics.

"Though there is a global pandemic, it is important to hold safe and secure Tokyo 2020 Games," she said, according to Reuters.

High-profile Japanese athletes like Masters golf champion Hideki Matsuyama and women's tennis great Naomi Osaka have expressed their concerns with the Olympics going ahead during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To date, Japan has reported over 658,000 COVID-19 cases, resulting in the deaths of at least 11,165 people.

(05/16/2021) Views: 961 ⚡AMP
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Biden backs Japan's bid to hold "safe and secure" Games at Tokyo 2020

United States President Joe Biden declared his support for Japan staging the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games during a meeting with Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga.

Suga, the first head of state to visit the White House under the Biden administration, said his country was doing its "upmost" to prepare for the Games amid speculation that the event might not go ahead because of a rise in COVID-19 cases across the world.

"They are doing everything possible to contain infection and to realise safe and secure Games from scientific and objective perspectives," Suga told a joint news conference.

"I expressed my determination to realise the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games as a symbol of global unity this summer, and President Biden once again expressed his support."

Biden "supports Prime Minister Suga's efforts to hold a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer", a joint statement after the meeting read.

"Both leaders expressed their pride in the US and Japanese athletes who have trained for these Games and will be competing in the best traditions of the Olympic spirit," the statement added.

It remains unclear whether Biden himself will attend the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as the White House has refused to confirm the US President's plans for the Games.

International spectators have been banned while the number of guests is set to be severely limited as part of COVID-19 countermeasures set to be in place at the event.

Suga and Tokyo 2020 organisers were forced to reiterate their commitment to the Games taking place in their rearranged slot after a senior member of the Japanese Government admitted cancellation remains an option if the COVID-19 situation in the country worsens.

"If infections spread because of the Olympics, I don't know what the Olympics is for," Toshihiro Nikai, second-ranked member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party said, before later attempting to backtrack on his comments.

Cases have been rising in Tokyo and across Japan following the lifting of the state of emergency.

Ten Japanese prefectures, including the Olympic and Paralympic host city, have been placed under stricter measures to curb the spike in infections.

The rise in cases also comes amid a slow rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Japan to date, with latest estimates suggesting only one per cent of the population has received a jab.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are scheduled for July 23 to August 8, with the Paralympics due to follow between August 24 and September 5.

(04/18/2021) Views: 846 ⚡AMP
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North Korea has withdrawn from Tokyo 2020 after the country cited coronavirus fears.

North Korea withdraws from Tokyo 2020 over COVID-19 fears.

A statement on the secretive state's official Sports in the DPRK Korea website said authorities want to "protect athletes".

The country has become the first to pull out of the rearranged Tokyo 2020 because of COVID-19.

Its decision comes just under a week after South Korean capital Seoul announced it had submitted a joint bid with the North for the 2032 Games to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

South Korean President Moon Jae-in had also said he wanted Tokyo 2020 to be an opportunity for dialogue between the bordering nations, which remain technically at war.

The Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea held a General Assembly to discuss the Games in Japan.

"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has decided not to participate in the 32nd Olympic Games during the General Assembly to protect our athletes from the global health crisis situation related to the coronavirus as proposed by committee members," a statement said.

North Korea shut off its borders in January 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic first began to take hold.

The country has claimed it has no COVID-19 cases but this is believed to be unlikely.

In 1988, North Korea boycotted the Summer Olympics in the South's capital Seoul, but they were welcomed with open arms when their neighbour hosted the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang.

A unified team took part in the women's ice hockey tournament and the two countries marched together at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies under a joint flag, with peace a key message.

The withdrawal from Tokyo will likely be felt particularly keenly by IOC President Thomas Bach, who has worked to improve sporting relations on the border and visited North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang in 2018.

He accepted the Seoul Peace Prize in October for his work and had previously discussed with Moon the possibility of the joint Olympic bid for 2032.

Pyongyang's relations with the west have been tense in recent years, particularly due to its nuclear programme and missile launches.

Tokyo 2020 host Japan's dealings with North Korea are particularly strained, with Pyongyang accused of abducting dozens of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s.

In 2017, Kim fired missiles over Japan and another launch into the sea last month again raised fears about the country's weapons expansion.

Former American President Donald Trump held high-profile talks with Kim in 2019 but the North's destruction of a joint liaison office on its side of the border in June highlighted how tensions have risen.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which were postponed by a year due to COVID-19, are due to open on July 23.

North Korea won seven medals at the last Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 - including two golds in weightlifting and gymnastics.

(04/06/2021) Views: 931 ⚡AMP
by Dan Palmer
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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Athletes could be required to undergo more COVID-19 testing at Tokyo 2020 due to the the spread of more transmissible variants

Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto has suggested the number of times athletes are tested for coronavirus could be increased amid growing fears over the spread of more transmissible variants.

Plans are in place for competitors to be tested once every four days during their time at this year’s rescheduled Olympic Games.

But Hashimoto is now considering increasing the testing frequency after the emergence of variants first identified in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil which are continuing to spread worldwide.

Speaking to Japanese media, Hashimoto revealed that International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach had called on organisers to implement a stricter testing protocol to combat the virus.

"From the athletes' perspective, I think it's better that testing rules are strict to begin with rather than having a change in protocols announced midway through [the Games]," said Hashimoto in a report by Kyodo News.

"We do need to think about [increasing testing frequency)."

Hashimoto spoke to Bach during a recent meeting involving the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Japanese Government.

Around 11,000 athletes are expected to compete at the Olympics in Tokyo.

But the number permitted to march in the Opening Ceremony is set to be restricted with Hashimoto suggesting it will be around a third of the amount that took part in the event at Rio 2016 which exceeded 12,000.

"Hopefully we can send the world a movie that provides a ray of light as we agonise and suffer from the coronavirus," Hashimoto about the staging of the Opening Ceremony.

"Given the situation, it might not be an Opening or Closing Ceremony where many people gather."

Hashimoto also indicated that changes could be made to the scheduling of events should an outbreak of coronavirus occur at the Games.

"We need to simulate for any potential scenarios," said Hashimoto.

"It's hard to think there won't be anything happening.

"Having no spectators is not totally ruled out."

The Games were originally scheduled to take place last year before being postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are due to open on July 23 and conclude on August 8.

 

(03/10/2021) Views: 881 ⚡AMP
by Geoff Berkeley
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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Survey shows that over half of Japan firms want Olympics cancelled or postponed

Over half of Japanese firms believe the Tokyo Olympic Games should be cancelled or postponed, a survey by think tank Tokyo Shoko Research showed on Monday, casting further doubt over the fate of the troubled Games.

Japan is struggling to contain the coronavirus and lags behind western countries in rolling out vaccines, even as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vowed to get conditions in place to host the once-postponed Summer Olympics from July 23.

The survey, conducted online on Feb. 1-8, showed 56.0% of the companies polled feel Japan should cancel or postpone the Games, up from 53.6% in the previous survey in August.

Only 7.7% of the firms surveyed said the Games should proceed in full form as scheduled this year, down from 22.5% in the previous survey.

while another 17% said it should proceed with no spectators, the survey showed.

Over 70% firms said cancelling or postponing the Games will barely have any impact on their earnings.

The survey, which covered over 11,000 firms, was conducted before Friday’s resignation of Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori over sexist remarks that left the Olympics searching for a chief five months from the opening ceremony.

(02/16/2021) Views: 895 ⚡AMP
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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The president of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organizing committee, Yoshiro Mori to quit, sources say, as he vows to end controversy

The head of the Tokyo Olympics is poised to resign in a sexism row after saying that 'annoying' women talk too much in meetings. 

Mori’s resignation would be bound to raise new doubts over the viability of holding the postponed Games this year.

The sources, who have knowledge of the matter, said Mori would be replaced by former Japan Football Association president and mayor of the Olympic village, Saburo Kawabuchi.

Kawabuchi, 84, represented Japan in football at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and helped Japan co-host the 2002 FIFA World Cup with South Korea.

Mori made the sexist remark - that women talk too much - at a Japanese Olympic Committee board meeting early this month, setting off a storm of criticism at home and abroad.

Mori, 83, told Nippon TV he would “explain his thoughts” at a meeting on Friday but he had to deal with the issue. He did not confirm the reports that he would step down.

“I cannot let this problem prolong any longer,” Mori said, and he again apologised for the remark.

A spokesman for the organising committee declined to comment.

Mori first retracted the comment about women at a hastily called news conference on Feb. 4, acknowledging it was inappropriate and against the Olympic spirit.

But he declined, at that time, to resign.

Pressed then on whether he really thought women talked too much, Mori said: “I don’t listen to women that much lately, so I don’t know”.

Olympic and ruling party officials told Reuters this week that Mori’s resignation could imperil the Games.

They said his deep network of politicians and Olympic officials was key to pulling off a successful Games.

But his comment on women drew sharp criticism in parliament, where opposition lawmakers demanded his resignation, and from the public on social media.

“Because of Mori’s comments, I’ve recognised again the importance of gender equality and diversity,” ruling party lawmaker Masazumi Gotoda said on Twitter.

“Discrimination is absolutely unacceptable.”

Mizuho Fukushima, head of the opposition Social Democratic Party, said on Twitter: “This is the result of many, many women raising their voices. Of course, this doesn’t resolve the problem. We need to create a society of gender equality.”

Mori was due to meet his expected successor, Kawabuchi, on Thursday to discuss the handover, one of the sources said.

(02/11/2021) Views: 948 ⚡AMP
by Yoshifumi Takemoto
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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2021 Boston Marathon rescheduled for October 11

October 11 has been announced as the date for this year's Boston Marathon - should the health situation allow for the race to take place.

The Boston Marathon is usually held on the third Monday of April, but that was deemed impossible this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Organisers the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) had previously said that the race would not go ahead "at least the fall of 2021", and October 11 has now been chosen as the new date.

That is one day after the Chicago Marathon.

Should road races not be permitted by then, it appears likely that the 2021 Boston Marathon would be cancelled, as the 2020 edition was.

That was the first cancellation in the event's 124-year history.

"We announce the 2021 Boston Marathon date with a cautious optimism, understanding full well that we will continue to be guided by science and our continued collaborative work with local, city, state, and public health officials," said BAA President and chief executive Tom Grilk.

"If we are able to hold an in-person race in October, the safety of participants, volunteers, spectators, and community members will be paramount."

Massachusetts must reach Phase 4 of its re-opening plan for road races to be permitted. 

It is presently in the first stage of Phase 3.

The Boston Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors.

Four were cancelled last year - Boston, New York, Chicago and Berlin - while the London Marathon was an elite-online event moved to a loop course in a park and the Tokyo Marathon's mass-participation race was scrapped.

This year's London and Tokyo races have both been moved to October already, while the Chicago Marathon is usually in October.

The six World Marathon Majors are now timetabled for a six-week span, making it difficult for many if any elite runners to take part in more than one.

All six are now scheduled to follow the Tokyo 2020 Olympics also.

The 2021 Boston Marathon is set to be the 125th edition of the race, and organisers say a virtual race option is planned as well as the in-person contest.

Massachusetts must reach Phase 4 of its re-opening plan for road races to be permitted. 

It is presently in the first stage of Phase 3.

The Boston Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors.

Four were cancelled last year - Boston, New York, Chicago and Berlin - while the London Marathon was an elite-online event moved to a loop course in a park and the Tokyo Marathon's mass-participation race was scrapped.

This year's London and Tokyo races have both been moved to October already, while the Chicago Marathon is usually in October.

The six World Marathon Majors are now timetabled for a six-week span, making it difficult for many if any elite runners to take part in more than one.

All six are now scheduled to follow the Tokyo 2020 Olympics also.

The 2021 Boston Marathon is set to be the 125th edition of the race, and organisers say a virtual race option is planned as well as the in-person contest.

(01/27/2021) Views: 959 ⚡AMP
by Ali Iveson
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Boston Marathon

Boston Marathon

Among the nation’s oldest athletic clubs, the B.A.A. was established in 1887, and, in 1896, more than half of the U.S. Olympic Team at the first modern games was composed of B.A.A. club members. The Olympic Games provided the inspiration for the first Boston Marathon, which culminated the B.A.A. Games on April 19, 1897. John J. McDermott emerged from a...

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Survey finds 80 per cent of Japanese people want Tokyo 2020 cancelled or postponed

A Kyodo News survey has found around 80 per cent of Japanese people want this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo to be cancelled or postponed.

In the telephone poll, 35.3 per cent of those surveyed called for the cancellation of the Games and 44.8 per cent said there should be another postponement.

The survey was conducted as Japan struggles with a resurgence of COVID-19.

Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba entered into a state of emergency on Friday (January 8) due to the increase in cases.

The Japanese capital recorded 1,494 new coronavirus infections today, the sixth day in a row the daily number of cases has exceeded 1,000.

In an address to mark the start of 2021, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vowed to hold a "safe and secure" Olympics in 2021 despite rising concern over the infection rate.

Critics have since claimed Suga was too slow in enacting a state of emergency, however, and the Kyodo News survey found a disapproval rate of 42.8 per cent for the Prime Minister.

The approval rate was found to be 41.3 per cent, down nine percentage points from the previous survey in December.

In addition, the declaration of the state of emergency was viewed as "too late" by 79.2 per cent of respondents, while nearly 78 per cent claimed it needed to be expanded to other areas.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are scheduled to run from July 23 to August 8, with the Paralympics due to follow from August 24 to September 5.

Organisers have previously claimed the Games would be cancelled outright if they can not take place this year.

If competition does go ahead, a host of COVID-19 countermeasures will be implemented in Tokyo.

This includes frequent testing, the mandatory use of face masks and social distancing, and a reduced stay in the Athletes' Village for competitors.

Athletes may also be vaccinated to ensure the Games can be held safely.

Senior International Olympic Committee member Richard Pound suggested prioritising athletes for the COVID-19 vaccine would be the "most realistic way" of ensuring Tokyo 2020 is held this year.

The IOC has expressed its commitment to having as many foreign participants as possible vaccinated for COVID-19 before the Games.

The organisation repeatedly said it supports priority access for high-risk groups and healthcare workers.

(01/17/2021) Views: 1,072 ⚡AMP
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Two-month training in Ethiopian town of Sululta will enable Turkish athletes to qualify for Tokyo Olympics, say team leaders

Turkey's top-notch athletes have been training in one of Ethiopia’s high-altitude training sites, Sululta, with hopes to clinch the qualifying time required to compete in the marathon and 3,000 meters steeplechase in Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The 2020 Summer Olympics Games, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are now scheduled from July 23 to Aug. 8, 2021.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, team leaders Bilal Arslan and Elvan Abeylegesse said Turkey has selected 12 athletes with the best time in the marathon and 3,000 meters steeplechase.

"For a marathon, we have ten athletes, of which six are female. Two women athletes are also training to compete in 3,000 meters steeplechase," said Arslan.

Abeylegesse said that the primary goal of the two-month training in Sululta was to prepare the athletes to compete in the championship at Trabzon, northeastern Turkey, which will take place in mid-February.

"These athletes will run to get the qualifying time required for the Tokyo Olympics in their respective fields," she said.

"We will be back to Ethiopia with those who qualified for Tokyo and do further preparation, maybe for five months," she added.

Located 12 kilometers (7 miles) north of the capital Addis Ababa at an elevation of 2,700 meters, Sululta is surrounded by mountains. It has been attracting internationally acclaimed athletes across the world.

"Sululta is an ideal place for training. Due to its high altitude, it helps athletes to gain endurance and stamina," said Arslan. "The town is plain and it provides a natural running track," he said.

Further, since dietary habits in Ethiopia are similar to that of Turkey, it helps athletes to adapt quickly.

"Everyone in the town wants to help, and the Ethiopian Athletics Federation and local officials are also assisting us," said the team leader.

According to Abeylegesse, the team has been working under a rigorous training regime over the past month and it will continue.

"We have been training with second-level young Ethiopian athletes, who helped us to learn more skills and discipline," she said.

"We are confident that we will achieve what we want," she added.

Busra Recep, a 24-year-old marathon specialist, said she was making progress in every aspect of long-distance running.

"I am doing my level best and hope to register the qualifying time for Tokyo Olympics and represent my country," she added.

Omer Alkan, a 29-year-old athlete engaged in the marathon race for the past 12 years, also hopes to hit the qualifying time, so he returned to Sululta for further training.

(01/15/2021) Views: 892 ⚡AMP
by Seleshi Tessema
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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Kenya to take at least 100 athletes to Tokyo 2020 Olympics

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) has said it is expecting to send a record 100 athletes to this year's Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The NOCK has said there are programmes in place already and enough training camps to help with preparations for the Games.

Residential training camps in Kenya are set to start in April.

Kurume on Kyushu island in Japan is due to be the base of the Kenyan team for at least 14 days before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics open on July 23.

NOCK officials are hoping the Tokyo 2020 Games - should the event take place - is free of the scandal which marred the country's team at Rio 2016.

"We expect to take at least 100 participants to the games with an expectation a higher medal haul than ever before," the NOCK said in a statement, Kenyan publication The Standard.

"We also seek to deliver the best-resourced Kenyan team in history.

"We are well set and all processes activated to ensure that we deliver an athlete-focused, well-managed, well-financed Olympic team as well as provide a memorable Olympic experience for all Kenya.

"Our resolve to deliver an exemplary Olympic experience is so strong, that our teams together with the Ministry of Sports, Art and Culture have been burning the midnight oil during the holidays to ensure that everything is set to go."

The NOCK, under the Presidency of former athlete Paul Tergat, has vowed to continue supporting qualified teams and those seeking qualification for the Games, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

"NOCK is conjunction with the International Olympic Committee and the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa is providing scholarships to at least 15 athletes to help them prepare for the Olympic Games," the statement added.

"Further, we are providing team preparation grants to the ladies' volleyball team and the ladies' rugby team.

"All the teams currently in the qualification pathways will be supported by the Government and NOCK to ensure that they qualify for the Games."

NOCK claim future programmes to help youth development are in place, looking to make use of sports science and high-performance centres for success at the Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

So far, Kenya has 56 confirmed athletes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, including men's marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge and double world champion Hellen Obiri.

Kenya took a record 89 athletes in seven sports to the Rio 2016 Games, winning their best medal haul to date with six gold, six silver and one bronze medal.

Six Kenyan officials were implicated in a financial scandal at the event in the Brazilian city.

It is alleged the six officials had caused a loss of public funds with their mismanagement of the Kenyan team, with athletes' preparations hampered by their conduct.

Prosecutors also claim those in charge of the Kenyan team allowed unauthorised people to travel to Rio 2016, purchased air tickets which were not utilised and overpaid allowances.

A nation known for its pedigree of distance runners, Kenya has won 96 of its 103 Olympic medals in athletics.

The other seven, including one gold medal, have came in boxing.

(01/10/2021) Views: 990 ⚡AMP
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Senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Richard Pound claims prioritizing athletes for COVID-19 vaccine is the most realistic way of staging Tokyo 2020

Senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Richard Pound has claimed prioritizing athletes for the COVID-19 vaccine would be the "most realistic way" of ensuring the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games take place.

Uncertainty remains over whether year's Olympic and Paralympics in the Japanese capital will go ahead with less than 200 days to go before the event is due to open.

The Games were postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the health crisis seems to have worsened after the discovery of the new variant of the virus, thought to be up to 70 per cent more transmissible.

Host country Japan is one of the nations to detect the new variant and is now on the cusp of a state of emergency after reporting a record 5,307 daily coronavirus cases today.

There is hope the development of a number of COVID-19 vaccines will allow Tokyo 2020 to take place safely, however, with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine currently being administered in the countries such as the UK and the United States, while it is awaiting approval in Japan.

Pound denied prioritizing athletes for the COVID-19 vaccine to ensure the Games go ahead would cause a public outcry. 

"In Canada where we might have 300 or 400 hundred athletes - to take 300 or 400 vaccines out of several million in order to have Canada represented at an international event of this stature, character and level - I don't think there would be any kind of a public outcry about that," Pound told Sky News. 

"It's a decision for each country to make and there will be people saying they are jumping the queue but I think that is the most realistic way of it going ahead."

IOC President Thomas Bach has previously encouraged athletes to have a COVID-19 vaccination before Tokyo 2020 but insisted it would not be an entry requirement. 

He revealed the IOC was in talks with manufacturers and other health experts but said the organization would not jump the queue in front of those in greater need of a vaccination.

"We made it clear from the very beginning that the first priorities are for the nurses, medical doctors and everybody who keeps our society alive, despite the coronavirus crisis," Bach said during a visit to the Tokyo National Stadium in November. 

"These are the people who deserve to be the first ones to be vaccinated."

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are scheduled to run from July 23 to August 8, with the Paralympics due to follow from August 24 to September 5.

Organizers plan to have a number of COVID-19 countermeasures in place should the Games go ahead.   

(01/06/2021) Views: 1,049 ⚡AMP
by Nancy Gillen
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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Japan bans foreign visitors as COVID-19 cases spike and new variant detected

The Japanese Government has announced that foreign travellers will not be permitted to enter the country until at least the end of January due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the nation due to host the next Olympics and Paralympics.

The new measure is set to start tomorrow and will continue throughout January.

It follows a record daily increase in new coronavirus cases - including at least two of a new, faster-spreading strain of the virus.

Japan reported in excess of 3,500 new cases yesterday.

A further 50 deaths were reported as well.

As Japan tightens its border, citizens and foreign residents will be required to quarantine for two weeks upon returning to the country and must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of their departure for Japan.

They will also be tested upon arrival.

Digital Transformation Minister Takuya Hirai has also spoken of a tracking system for overseas travellers being developed to monitor virus spread, with the system expected to be in place before the Olympics and Paralympics are held.

"There will be no point if we do not implement it, so that you will be allowed to enter the country unless you use it," Hirai said, Kyodo News reports.

Hirai suggested that tracking will be delivered through GPS technology.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are currently scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, having been postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Paralympics are due to take place from August 24 to September 5.

With coronavrius cases rising in the host nation and across other parts of the world, notably Europe and the Americas, doubts remain over whether the Games will be able to go ahead - and if they do, whether international visitors or even domestic spectators will be allowed to attend events

(01/01/2021) Views: 900 ⚡AMP
by Inside The Games
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A test event for the Olympic marathon in Sapporo is now due to take place during the Hokkaido-Sapporo Marathon Festival on May 5

The confirmation of the date is among updates made to the calendar of test events by Tokyo 2020.

Olympic marathons and walking races are being held in Sapporo, on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, because of concerns over the heat in Tokyo.

The test race will be organised by the Hokkaido-Sapporo Marathon Festival Committee.

This race on May 5 will test the course for the Games.

World Athletics officials visited the marathon course on August 8, exactly one year prior to the men’s marathon race at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Air quality, heat stress, temperature and relative humidity were all measured as the officials cycled the route, and World Athletics said it was encouraged by the results.

A Para-athletics test event for track and field has also been given a date, and is now set to take place on May 11 at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo.

Wheelchair rugby's test event has also been confirmed, and is scheduled for April 3 and 4 at Yoyogi National Stadium.

An artistic swimming test event is the first scheduled in 2021, due to run from March 4 to 7 at Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

The final test event is currently set to be for 3x3 basketball at Aomi Urban Sports Park from May 14 to 16.

Test events for skateboarding, gymnastics and volleyball, plus track and BMX cycling, are all scheduled as well.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are due to take place from July 23 to August 8 in 2021 following their postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Paralympics are timetabled to run from August 24 to September 5.

(12/12/2020) Views: 1,107 ⚡AMP
by Michael Houston
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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The Tokyo 2020 Olympics may have limited spectators but the Games will be held at any cost in 2021

The head of the International Olympics Committee (IOC) has said he is "very confident" that spectators will be able to attend the Tokyo Olympic Games next year. 

Thomas Bach added that the IOC would take "great efforts" in making sure fans were vaccinated before arriving. 

He is currently in Japan to discuss how the Olympics can be held next year.

The Tokyo Games were originally due to start in July, but were postponed for a year due to the coronavirus outbreak.

More than 11,000 athletes from around 200 countries had been scheduled to take part in the Games, now due to begin in July 2021.

"We are putting really a huge tool box together in which we will put all the different measures we can imagine," Mr Bach told reporters after meeting Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, according to news agency AFP.

"This makes us all very, very confident we can have spectators in the Olympic stadium next year."

Mr Bach said he was 'very confident' some fans would be able to attend

Mr Bach's visit comes after Tokyo held a one-day gymnastics meet earlier this month, an event which saw several thousand fans and 22 athletes from various countries participate.

The international athletes were quarantined for two weeks prior to arriving in Japan and were largely kept in their Tokyo hotel in isolation. They were also required to take daily PCR tests - the virus test that has been used most commonly globally. 

Tokyo Olympics will happen 'with or without Covid'

Both Japan and the IOC have stressed that the Games will go ahead next year. 

Japan's Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto said earlier this year they wanted to avoid the possibility of having no spectators at all at the Games, adding it was possible events might be held with a "limited" audience, while the number of staff and delegates from each country could also be reduced.

Earlier last week, Mr Bach was asked if he was going to Tokyo to talk about contingencies for cancelling the Games, to which he firmly replied "no", with his deputy earlier vowing that the Games would go ahead "with or without Covid". 

Japan's Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto similarly said that they must be held "at any cost" in 2021.

There are now hopes that an effective vaccine against Covid-19 could be available within the next year, with a preliminary analysis showing that a vaccine by Pfizer and BioNTech could prevent more than 90% of people from getting the virus.

 

(11/16/2020) Views: 930 ⚡AMP
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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World Athletics incurred $17.4m loss in 2019, despite RusAF payment

World Athletics registered a loss of $17.42m (€14.71m/£13.58m) in 2019, further eating into its cash reserves in the year before the Covid-19 pandemic struck the sports industry.

Although revenues at the organisation increased by 13 per cent on the previous year to $51.1m, this was outstripped by expenditure for the same period, which stood at $67.8m.

The losses could have been worse had the organisation not received a one-off payment of $3.38m from the Russian Athletics Federation as part of the sanctions imposed on the country for breaching the sport’s anti-doping rules. The bottom line was also helped by expenditure being down 5.5 per cent on the previous year due to having held just three World Athletics Series events versus five in 2018.

The figures continue an unenviable sequence of losses for the organisation, leaving it with cash reserves of $34.3m at the end of its four-year funding cycle. This was a significant decrease on 2018, when reserves stood at $45.25m, and 2017, when they were declared at $64.8m, leaving the impression of a federation that is consistently spending beyond its means.

Broadcast rights revenue in 2019 totalled $14.7m, while commercial rights revenue was $18m.

A global federation would expect to balance the books over a four-year cycle but the organisation is also reported to have incurred a $20.3m loss in 2017, the year the World Athletics Championships were held in London.

SportBusiness understands the federation has historically aimed to never to exceed a $10m loss in any financial year, the equivalent of the amount it receives each year in funding from the International Olympic Committee.

The steep downward trajectory becomes more troubling given the accounts refer to the period before Covid-19 laid waste to sports events around the world and threatened the cash flows of most global sports federations.

The postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics means the athletics federation is facing an additional one-year wait for the $40m it receives every quadrennial from the International Olympic Committee and it remains to be seen what kind of event will be delivered and if the IOC’s sponsors and broadcasters will demand rebates.

World Athletics is one of several IFs to receive a portion of $63m in emergency loans and donations from the IOC to see them through the crisis. The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) said in June that it does not anticipate international federations will face bankruptcy thanks to a combination of financial support and reserves being put in place.

In its latest accounts, World Athletics make a commitment to stem the outflow of money from its reserves from 2020 onwards saying: “to safeguard the organisation, the new Executive Board has agreed that the organisation should hold reserves of $25m at all times, which amounts to approximately 50 per cent of the organisation’s annual revenue”.

In his introduction to the annual report World Athletics president Sebastian Coe suggests the organisation will try to achieve this by controlling its costs and striking new commercial partnerships.

“A root-and-branch review of all HQ expenditure during 2018 and 2019 led to HQ staff freezes and excess costs cut from across the organisation,” he said. “The benefits of many of these decisions will be seen from 2020 onwards.”

A World Athletics spokesperson said there had been no cuts to athlete programmes in 2020 and the organisation did not anticipate reducing spending in this area in 2021 or 2022. World Athletics said it delivered US$17.2m in new grant funding directly to member federations over the four-year cycle.

Dentsu renegotiations

Coe said a new sponsorship deal with Qatar National Bank and a renegotiation of the federations’ 10-year global media and marketing partnership with Japanese marketing agency Dentsu had helped to plug revenue shortfalls left by other sponsors leaving the sport.

As reported previously by SportBusiness, the original 10-year deal with Dentsu, agreed unilaterally by former president Lamine Diack, and covering the global media and marketing rights – excluding Japan and Europe – to the World Athletics Series, was the source of some consternation for those who inherited the deal at the organisation.

In a written exchange with a French judge investigating the previous regime, the federation’s own lawyer Régis Bergonzi complained that the money accruing to the global federation was calculated “solely on the money actually received by Dentsu” and there was effectively nothing in the contract to prevent the agency from declaring whatever it wanted when calculating the profit share.

The agreement also stipulated that profit share revenues were only payable to World Athletics at the end of the 10-year contract, harming the federation’s cash flows and adding to the sense that the contract that was heavily weighted in the agency’s favour. The deal is understood to have been the reason Olivier Gers resigned as chief executive of the organisation in 2018, citing its ‘pre-existing commercial framework’.

The new leadership at the governing body, mandated by the World Athletics Council, renegotiated the 2020-29 contract in 2018, sometime after Gers left, even though it was not due to expire until 2029. The latest accounts shed new light on this renegotiation and reveal that Dentsu now has to make a profit share payment every two years “based on the surplus realised each year by the event related to these rights”. This led to a recognition of a contract asset of $8.4m as of January 1, 2018 which was paid during the 2018 financial year.

The federation had also previously complained about the opacity of the original Dentsu agreement which prevented it from auditing the sums involved in the sponsorship and broadcast deals signed by the agency. But a World Athletics spokesperson said the federation had secured some significant concessions in the renegotiation.

“As part of the renegotiated deal with Dentsu, there is greater transparency as it relates to sponsorship incomes received. Unlike the past, there is no deduction for expenses incurred by Dentsu to source these partnerships from the profit share pool,” the spokesperson said. “Profit share calculation is based on contracted party revenues that are validated between Dentsu and ourselves. While not formally audited, the calculation is also reviewed by [accountants] EY before they sign off on our accounts.”

The report said the Japanese agency concluded 10-year renewals with TDK, Asics and Seiko at an uplift of 10 per cent to their previous deals and renewed the organisation’s equipment supplier partnership with Mondo through to 2023. TBS, a World Athletics official media partner, were also extended in 2019 for a further 10 years.

The publication of the financial report also marks a new chapter of transparency for World Athletics and the first occasion it has sought to comply with International Financial Reporting Standards. Previously, the media has been left to parse leaked financial statements such as the 2018 set of accounts revealed by the Sports Examiner in June this year.

Coe said the appointment of former DuPont executive Vineesh Kochhar as the organisation’s new chief financial officer would bring a new discipline of corporate financial management. He added that new chief executive Jon Ridgeon would also help to drive revenues and manage expenditure.

The president said of the results: “These 2019 consolidated financial accounts come at the end of a tough and turbulent four years for our sport. Four years of extensive reforms across the sport have been driven by our Council and implemented by our Member Federations, Area Associations and Head Office.

“I will not pretend this has been easy. Tough decisions have been taken by everyone at all levels of the sport, but I believe we have emerged stronger, more resilient and ready to build and grow the sport at every entry point.”

This story was corrected at 14.51 BST. The original story said World Athletics received $6.31m from RusAF in 2019 related to doping sanctions but the actual figure was $3.38m. The governing body received a further $6.31m from the Russian federation in August this year that will be recognised in next year’s accounts. 

(09/12/2020) Views: 787 ⚡AMP
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Japan keeping 5,000-spectator limit with coronavirus cases in Olympic host country high

apan is set to keep the limit of spectators at sporting events at 5,000 as coronavirus cases in the Olympic and Paralympic host country remain high.

The limit had been put in place until the end of August but is set to be extended, as reported by news agency Kyodo.

This will affect Nippon Professional Baseball games and J-League matches, although organisers of the latter had already decided to keep the 5,000 spectator limit until at least September .

The limit was increased from 1,000 to 5,000 on July 10.

Japan has reported more than 1,000 coronavirus cases for the past three days, leading to the extension of the spectator limit.

In total, the country has reported more than 53,500 cases and 1,085 deaths.

There are also concerns about the coronavirus figures in Japanese capital Tokyo, which is due to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year.

There have now been more than 17,000 cases of coronavirus in the city, with 338 deaths.

To prevent the spread of the virus, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike urged people to avoid travelling or returning to their hometowns during the holidays.

Venues serving alcohol are also expected to close by 10pm until the end of August.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Japan and around the world, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were delayed by a year and are now scheduled to open on July 23 2021.

Coronavirus countermeasures are viewed as key to the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place next year following their postponement.

The process will be led by the Japanese Government as part of a three-party council, which will also feature the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee.

Meetings are set to begin this autumn to determine "robust countermeasures" and which are expected to be announced by the end of 2020.

With thousands of athletes due to arrive from across the world to take part in the Games, the health situation outside Japan will also need to improve if they are to go ahead.

(08/29/2020) Views: 1,071 ⚡AMP
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Athletes find renewed motivation as Tokyo Olympic countdown hits one year to go

Today was originally set to be the eve of the athletics competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Now, of course, athletes have 12 more months to wait before track and field action gets underway in the Japanese capital exactly one year from today.  

For some, the extra year may feel like a lifetime of waiting. For others it can’t come around soon enough. And for a select few, it has given them something of a lifeline.

The likes of David Rudisha and Wayde van Niekerk were among the biggest stars of the last Olympic Games in Rio, winning the 800m and 400m respectively. But in recent years, most of their time has been spent away from the track and rehabbing their way back from injury.

“The year has really saved me,” said Rudisha, who was rounding into form at the start of the year but was then forced to undergo ankle surgery at the end of May. “It took a lot of time to get fit and it would have been difficult to qualify in June for the Olympics. The ankle fracture will now throw me back, but I hope that by September I will be able to start building up again. That would then give me a normal preparation period leading into an Olympic year.”

Van Niekerk is a bit further along in his comeback, having clocked 10.10 and 20.31 over 100m and 200m earlier this year. But the South African sprinter knows the extra year will be hugely beneficial as he aims to get back into the form that carried him to a world 400m record of 43.03 in Rio.

“There’s time to work on specific areas that need your attention,” he says. “You can find positives wherever you look for them, you just need to sit back and see where you need to work.”

Van Niekerk will still be in his twenties by the time the Tokyo Olympics take place in 2021, but for athletes the other side of 30 – or, in some cases, aged 40 and above – trying to stay in peak form could pose a challenge. It is one they’re willing to tackle, though.

“The age is here, but I’m optimistic now,” said javelin world record-holder and two-time Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova, who will turn 40 next June. “At first I was disappointed [about the Tokyo 2020 Olympics], but otherwise I told myself that I have a new coach now and it’s our first season together. Next season will be better.”

Spain’s Jesus Angel Garcia, meanwhile, celebrated his 50th birthday last October, just three weeks after finishing eighth in the 50km race walk at the World Athletics Championships Doha 2019. When the Tokyo Olympics takes place in 2021, he will be just a few months shy of his 52nd birthday. He’s determined to make it to his eighth Games – a record tally for athletics.

An extra year will also be beneficial to the up-and-coming generation. Athletes such as US sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, Dutch 400m hurdler Femke Bol, French all-round talent Sasha Zhoya and pole vault world record-holder Mondo Duplantis – all aged 20 or younger – have produced some stunning performances over the past year or two. With another year of training under their belt, they could be fitter, faster and stronger in 2021.

“Obviously I was very disappointed when the news came about the postponing of the Olympics,” said Bol, who recently clocked a Dutch 400m hurdles record of 53.79 in what’s just her second season in the event. “But I feel it gives me a chance to train harder, improve my technique and get more experienced in the 400m hurdles.”

“When Tokyo was originally set to take place in 2020, as I would have only just come out of the U18 category, I knew my chances of getting the qualifying time would be extremely low,” said the 18-year-old, who set a world U20 60m hurdles record of 7.34 during the indoor season. “But with the Games being pushed back, for me it means a whole year to be in elite competition and puts Tokyo 2021 on my radar a little more than before. My priority, though, for 2021 is still the World U20 Championships in Nairobi.”

The Olympic Games were firmly on Mondo Duplantis’s radar at the start of the year. The Swedish pole vaulter began 2020 in tremendous form, twice breaking the world record. Undefeated in all eight of his competitions so far this year, he would have headed to Tokyo as one of the biggest gold medal favourites. But even he is able to see the bigger picture.

"It's been an unexpected season in so many ways,” he said. “People have it so much worse than we do as athletes, so I'm not going to complain. Next year is going to be great and I don't see why I can't get into even better form next year.”

(07/30/2020) Views: 1,131 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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More than half of Tokyo residents opposed to Olympics next year, survey finds

A new survey has found that more than half of Tokyo residents do not want the postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held next year.

Tokyo 2020 has been moved back to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but doubts remain about the Games going ahead.

The survey, carried out over the phone by Kyodo News and the Tokyo MX television channel, was taken by 1,030 people.

It found that 51.7 per cent want the Games to be postponed again or cancelled, with 46.3 per cent wanting the re-arranged Tokyo 2020 to take place.

Out of those who are opposed to next year, 24 per cent said they would favour a second postponement.

This option has been repeatedly rejected by Tokyo 2020 and International Olympic Committee officials, however.

Complete cancellation was backed by 27.7 per cent.

Of those who want to see the Games go ahead next year, 31.1 per cent said they should take place in a reduced form.

This is the path being taken by organisers, with Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshirō Mutō speaking about "simplified Games" and announcing this month that 200 ideas on how to scale things back were being considered.

Holding a full-scale Olympics as planned was backed by 15.2 per cent.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are now scheduled for between July 23 and August 8 next year, with the Paralympics due to follow from August 24 to September 5.

Some believe that these dates will also not be feasible, however, if the coronavirus pandemic does not subside significantly around the world and a vaccine is not developed.

IOC President Thomas Bach is among those who have admitted the Games would be cancelled entirely if not possible in 2021, with a second postponement not being considered.

Tokyo 2020 Board member Haruyuki Takahashi has claimed, however, that another shift in dates should be considered.

The delay has created a huge logistical challenge for organisers, which Bach has described as a "huge jigsaw puzzle and every piece has to fit".

Another survey by Japanese broadcaster NHK revealed that two-thirds of corporate sponsors for Tokyo 2020 are unsure if they will extend their contracts past December, with 14 per cent saying it would depend on the asking price.

The re-arranged Games is a key topic amid campaigning for Tokyo's gubernatorial election on Sunday (July 5).

Incumbent governor Yuriko Koike looks likely to win a second term although one of her rival candidates, Tarō Yamamoto, has pledged to cancel Tokyo 2020 if elected.

There are fears of a second wave of coronavirus in the Japanese capital, with the city reporting more than 50 cases for the past four days.

This is the highest level since early May, when Japan was under a state of emergency.

(07/05/2020) Views: 1,166 ⚡AMP
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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Majority of Tokyo Olympic sponsors undecided on extension

A survey in Japan has revealed two-thirds of corporate sponsors of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics are unsure if they will extend their contracts beyond this December.

Japan’s public media organization NHK conducted a survey of 78 Olympic and Paralympic sponsor companies in May, with 57 of them responding.

NHK says about 12 per cent plan to extend their contracts with the Organizing Committee, while about 65 per cent said they have not started any discussions with the committee and are undecided on extending agreements.

The sponsors who plan to extend their contracts said reports the Games would face cancellation if they cannot take place in 2021 were alarming, the same firms believed that Games without spectators in the stadium would be a reason for withdrawing sponsorship.

The Covid-19 pandemic was highlighted as the main concern for most sponsors with 68 per cent of them saying their financial situation this year has been deteriorating.

The social distancing restrictions due to Covid-19 had also prevented sponsors holding promotional events as they would potentially be held in crowded situations.

In their report NHK said companies failed to respond on how they will react if the committee asks for further financial contributions should they extend their contracts. Fourteen per cent said it would depend on the asking price on whether they will extend or not.

SportBusiness understands that the decision to ask sponsors to make extra payments will be taken in the June-July period and will determine whether domestic partners will be asked to pay more and, if so, at what percentage of the annualised fee.

During an online meeting this week the International Olympic Committee and Games organisers agreed to host a “simplified” games, cutting the financial burden caused by the postponement while prioritising safeguards against Covid-19.

(06/16/2020) Views: 1,132 ⚡AMP
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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The deadline to confirm event programs and athlete quotas for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will remain in December this year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) says

This decision follows a recommendation of the Olympic Program Commission, after feedback from athletes, international federations, IOC member associations and the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee.

With the confirmation of the original deadline, December's IOC Executive Board meeting will see decisions made on requests from 20 of the 27 Olympic international federations for changes to the Paris 2024 event program, the IOC said.

In addition, confirmation of the inclusion of the four additional sports proposed by the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee - breaking, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing - will also be determined at December's meeting, having provisionally been approved at the IOC Session in June 2019.

Approval was expected to be given following the sports being monitored over the 18-month period, with the performance of skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing on their Olympic debuts at Tokyo 2020 set to be considered.

But the postponement of the Games to 2021 will see the Executive Board meeting held before the Olympic Games, meaning their performance at Tokyo 2020 cannot be assessed.

Similarly, viewing figures from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will not be able to be considered when assessing disciplines in permanent sports on the program.

The IOC Executive Board has established key principles regarding Paris 2024 events and quotas.

This includes reducing the overall athlete quota to 10,500, including all new sports.

The 10,500 quota is labelled as the maximum in the Olympic Charter, although the IOC acknowledged in 2018 that it was over this amount with around 11,000 athletes due to compete at Tokyo 2020.

The IOC emphasized that new events would only be included if there are existing venues in Paris, with priority given to events that can accommodate athletes within the sport's existing quota allocation.

Achieving gender equality in participation across the Olympic Games at event and discipline level where possible was also listed as a priority.

"The exceptional situation caused by COVID-19 requires exceptional measures," said Thomas Bach, IOC President.

"Therefore, any decision concerning the event program for Paris 2024 should reflect Olympic Agenda 2020, including a new phase of the 'New Norm'.

"The IOC EB has reiterated the vital importance of reducing the cost and complexity of hosting the Olympic Games, particularly concerning venue requirements.

"For the event program, we have maintained the December 2020 deadline, even though new sports can now not be tested on the Olympic stage, but we need to give certainty."

Dates for the IOC Executive Board meeting in December 2020 are set to be confirmed within the coming months. 

(06/11/2020) Views: 1,223 ⚡AMP
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe has lifted the country's state of emergency after a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in the Tokyo 2020 host nation

Japan declared the state of emergency on April 16 after fearing a second wave of infection from the virus, and further extended it in early May.

Its introduction came a week after Tokyo, Osaka and five other urban areas had restrictions placed on them from April 7.

Many areas of the nation had previously seen the restrictions lifted, but now the remaining five prefectures will join them.

These are the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, its neighbouring areas of Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama and the northern island of Hokkaido.

The nation has seen a fall in confirmed cases over the past month, recording its lowest number of new daily cases yesterday since February 29 with 14.

It has also seen a fall in the number of active cases, reaching a peak of 11,443 on April 28 with the number now down to 2,317.

However, the city and host of the 2020 Olympics, Tokyo, saw a return to double figures for confirmed cases in a day, suggesting that the threat of infection is still there.

"We had very stringent criteria for lifting the state of emergency," Abe said in a televised press conference today.

"We have judged that we have met this criteria.

"Today we will lift the state of emergency nationwide."

Economic Revitalisation Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told a panel today, according to Kyodo News, that the state of emergency is "no longer necessary in all prefectures".

Nishimura had suggested yesterday that this would be the announcement made with confirmed cases falling.

The day before Japan entered its state of emergency the country had 741 confirmed cases in a single day – the second highest daily rate after 743 new cases were reported on April 11.

There will still be some restrictions put in place by the Government, with citizens asked not to cross prefectural borders until the end of the month.

The first phase of lifting restrictions will see museums and libraries reopen, while restaurants will be open during the day, closing at 10pm which is two hours later than the state of emergency rules.

A second phase could start at the end of the month, which sources suggest could see shops and cinemas reopen.

However, places like gyms, karaoke bars and music venues will still be closed.

To date, there have been more than 16,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Japan, resulting in the deaths of 820 people.

The outbreak caused the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics until next year.

However, doubts remain about the rearranged Games taking place if COVID-19 remains prevalent. 

(05/26/2020) Views: 1,317 ⚡AMP
by Michael Houston
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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New Zealand Daniel Jones has said he wants to extend his stay in Kenya during the lockdown period, to help with preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Originally set for a five-week stay in the East African country, Jones faced a dilemma when nations began to close borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic .

Instead of returning home the 29-year-old chose to stay in the revered town of Iten, a haven for distance runners around the world, and has now lived there for three months.

Speaking to Newshub, Jones said he definitely misses his life at home, but knows it will be worth the sacrifice.

"I miss my partner in New Zealand, but in the long term, I think it's going to be very beneficial for my running and if this helps me put on the New Zealand singlet, then it's all worth it," he said.

He will look to join Kiwis Zane Robertson and Malcolm Hicks, who both have the qualifying standard for Tokyo 2020 after running within the 2 hours 11min 30sec time-frame. 

With Tokyo 2020 postponed to next year because of COVID-19, Jones has more time to reach the standard.

However, he will have to cut around five minutes off his personal best to make the team, having ran 2:16:15 in Gold Coast in Australia in July.

His decision to stay in Kenya could be beneficial, as he remained healthy on nutritious foods while New Zealand was under tight restrictions.

Robertson, who has benefited from training in Iten, spoke highly of Jones' potential.

"Dan is genetically gifted, he's very humble, but he also has belief in himself," he said.

"He's got the guts, he's got the right type of attitude to make it."

(05/25/2020) Views: 1,225 ⚡AMP
by Michael Houston
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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The postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics could be cancelled if the coronavirus pandemic isn't brought under control by next year

The postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be cancelled if the coronavirus pandemic isn't brought under control by next year, the organising committee's president said in comments published Tuesday.

The pandemic has already forced a year-long delay of the Games, which are now scheduled to open on July 23, 2021, but Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori said no further postponement was possible.

In an interview with Japan's Nikkan Sports daily, Mori was categorical when asked if the Olympics could be delayed until 2022 if the pandemic remains a threat next year, replying: "No."

"In that case, it's cancelled," Mori said. 

Mori said the Games had been cancelled previously only during wartime and compared the battle against coronavirus to "fighting an invisible enemy".

If the virus is successfully contained, "we'll hold the Olympics in peace next summer", he added. "Mankind is betting on it."

Under heavy pressure from athletes and sports associations, Japanese organisers and the International Olympic Committee agreed in March to a year-long postponement of the Games.

Organisers and Japanese officials have said the delayed Olympics will be a chance to showcase the world's triumph over the coronavirus, but questions have arisen about whether even a year's postponement is sufficient.

On Tuesday, the head of Japan Medical Association warned it would be "exceedingly difficult" to hold the Games next year if a vaccine had not been found.

"I would not say that they should not be held, but it would be exceedingly difficult," Yoshitake Yokokura told reporters at a briefing.

And last week a Japanese medical expert who has criticised the country's response to the coronavirus warned that he was "very pessimistic" that the postponed Olympics can be held in 2021.

(04/28/2020) Views: 1,144 ⚡AMP
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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Eliud Kipchoge and Vivian Cheruiyot will be grateful returning to action in London marathon

Olympic champions Eliud Kipchoge and Vivian Cheruiyot have urged their fans to remain hopeful even as the world battles the effect of coronavirus globally.

The two were due to compete on Sunday in London marathon (April 26), but the race, like many across the globe, has been postponed. Organizers have picked on Oct. 4 as the new dates if the health situation allows.

Cheruiyot, who has recovered from a tendon injury, which ruled her out of the Berlin marathon last year, says despite there being no competition across the sports spectrum, she was happy to be healthy and said she will live to compete again soon.

"Today, there will be no London marathon, but we will be back in action soon. Stay positive and stay healthy," said Cheruiyot on Sunday from Eldoret.

On his side, Kipchoge, who is unable to train with his teammates, says the virus will be defeated and sports will flourish yet again.

"We will return to action stronger and with a lot of hope," said Kipchoge.

"The important thing is to remain focused and disciplined. We have a war to fight against the coronavirus, but we have a responsibility to remain healthy and safe."

The two were also named in the Kenya team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics before it was pushed back to 2021.

But with no guarantees, Cheruiyot hopes to remain injury free and will always honor a call to represent the country in the Olympics. However, Cheruiyot is non-committal on her fitness when the new dates for the Tokyo Olympics.

"One year is a long time and we want to be in our best shape and compete. But we will be patient and see how the season unfolds. The important thing for now is to remain safe, there are no immediate plans on sports and we have to live with that. Until then, we just train as often as we can under the health guidelines," he said.

Already the London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher has said that while he hopes the London Marathon will take place as normal on Oct. 4, it might have to be slimmed down to an elite only race.

"But in today's society, you can never say never. We are trying to stay really agile and to keep scenario planning. And at the moment, I don't want to discount anything until it becomes really impossible," he said.

Brasher also would not confirm whether Kipchoge and Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele had signed up for October's revised race. 

(04/27/2020) Views: 1,143 ⚡AMP
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TCS London Marathon

TCS London Marathon

The London Marathon was first run on March 29, 1981 and has been held in the spring of every year since 2010. It is sponsored by Virgin Money and was founded by the former Olympic champion and journalist Chris Brasher and Welsh athlete John Disley. It is organized by Hugh Brasher (son of Chris) as Race Director and Nick Bitel...

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Virus scrapped your marathon? In Japan, there's an app for that

When the coronavirus outbreak forced organisers to cancel marathons in the Japanese city of Nagoya, they turned to tech to ease the disappointment, offering runners the chance to race alone.

The Nagoya Women's Marathon and Nagoya City marathon were scheduled for March 8 and expected to attract some 20,000 runners -- a potential health hazard during a global pandemic.

So instead of having racers run together, organisers have offered up two apps to allow participants to complete the marathons alone, tracked online.

"It's the first time the annual marathon events were cancelled, and it's the first time we launched apps to replace the real ones," one of the organisers of the Nagoya city marathon told AFP.

Instead of running the original route, registered participants can run wherever they like -- keeping an appropriate social distance -- and the apps measure and verify their performance.

There are two apps -- one for those who want to finish the marathon in one go and another for those who want to complete it by running over several days.

Runners can complete the marathons between March 8 and May 31, the official race website says.

The organisers said on their website that they wanted to respond to the spirit shown by those who trained for the now-cancelled races.

But they "don't recommend running in a big group," the official warned.

Those who are registered for the women's event and complete the marathon via the app will receive a T-shirt and a necklace as originally promised for finishers.

The coronavirus has wreaked havoc on the international sporting calendar, with the Tokyo marathon among the early fixtures to be affected.

Organisers cancelled the amateur portion of the race scheduled for March 1, affecting around 38,000 runners, who were not offered a refund.

They will, however, be eligible for a spot in 2021's marathon.

The pandemic has also forced the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics to next year.

Japan has so far recorded over 3,600 coronavirus infections and 73 deaths.

(04/12/2020) Views: 964 ⚡AMP
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When the coronavirus outbreak forced organizers to cancel marathons in the Japanese city of Nagoya, they turned to tech to ease the disappointment, offering runners the chance to race alone

The Nagoya Women's Marathon and Nagoya City marathon were scheduled for March 8 and expected to attract some 20,000 runners -- a potential health hazard during a global pandemic.

So instead of having racers run together, organizers have offered up two apps to allow participants to complete the marathons alone, tracked online.

"It's the first time the annual marathon events were cancelled, and it's the first time we launched apps to replace the real ones," one of the organizers of the Nagoya city marathon told AFP.

Instead of running the original route, registered participants can run wherever they like -- keeping an appropriate social distance -- and the apps measure and verify their performance.

When the coronavirus outbreak forced organizers to cancel marathons in the Japanese city of Nagoya, they turned to tech to ease the disappointment, offering runners the chance to race alone.

The Nagoya Women's Marathon and Nagoya City marathon were scheduled for March 8 and expected to attract some 20,000 runners -- a potential health hazard during a global pandemic.

So instead of having racers run together, organizers have offered up two apps to allow participants to complete the marathons alone, tracked online.

"It's the first time the annual marathon events were cancelled, and it's the first time we launched apps to replace the real ones," one of the organizers of the Nagoya city marathon told AFP.

Instead of running the original route, registered participants can run wherever they like -- keeping an appropriate social distance -- and the apps measure and verify their performance.

There are two apps -- one for those who want to finish the marathon in one go and another for those who want to complete it by running over several days.

Runners can complete the marathons between March 8 and May 31, the official race website says.

The organizers said on their website that they wanted to respond to the spirit shown by those who trained for the now-cancelled races. 

But they "don't recommend running in a big group," the official warned.

Those who are registered for the women's event and complete the marathon via the app will receive a T-shirt and a necklace as originally promised for finishers.

The coronavirus has wreaked havoc on the international sporting calendar, with the Tokyo marathon among the early fixtures to be affected.

Organizers cancelled the amateur portion of the race scheduled for March 1, affecting around 38,000 runners, who were not offered a refund.

They will, however, be eligible for a spot in 2021's marathon.

The pandemic has also forced the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics to next year.

(04/06/2020) Views: 1,216 ⚡AMP
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Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medalist Marceline Chelangat promises to bounce back after giving birth

Many athletes have abandoned sport or retired after giving birth, but the 24-year-old will not hear any of that and promised to return to action.

Motherhood has taken a toll on Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medalist Marceline Chelangat since giving birth to a bouncing baby boy last year.

Speaking to the New Vision in Kapchorwa, the first-time mother said it has not been easy raising the eight-month old baby and that it has taken the help of his grand mum to raise the kid.“It has not been easy being a mother and a first-time mother at that.

I had never baby seated anyone because I’m the last born, but my mum has been very supportive; she has tried a lot because I even didn’t know how to carry the baby,” Chelangat who was found carrying her baby on the back said.

Many athletes have abandoned sport or retired after giving birth, but the 24-year-old will not hear any of that and promised to return to action.

“I will be returning very soon, and for me, I hope to return very strong,” Chelangat, an Assistant Inspector of Police, married to Police Constable Benson Cheboriot said.“The baby is still young, but when he makes one year, I will leave him with his grand mum and return to training.”

Chelangat and Stella Chesang won two medals for Uganda at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

Meanwhile, Stephen Kiprotich believes Uganda's athletics team will win up to five medals from the 10,000m-men’s race, 800m women and the men’s marathon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“I have a very tough team of marathoners here who I believe will perform well because last year out time was lowered to 2:07.05 so  I have a belief that we will be strong contenders in those races, so  my prediction is that Uganda will come back with five medals,” Kiprotich said as he watched runners participate in the TeamUganda Tokyo 2020 run in Kapchorwa.

(03/11/2020) Views: 1,242 ⚡AMP
by Michael Nsubuga
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The Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games are coming to Victoria - bringing an action packed sports program to our regional cities and delivering a long-term legacy for our future. From 17 to 29 March 2026, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland and Shepparton will be on the world stage, attracting millions of viewers and creating thousands of jobs. The multi-city model will...

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Nike's controversial Vaporfly shoe has been permitted for use in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

World Athletics has temporarily updated its guidelines for sports shoes worn in competitive events ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in July.

The new guidelines from the international governing body for athletics bans the trainer Eliud Kipchoge wore to break the two-hour marathon record.

Vaporfly meets new stipulations, However, Nike's Vaporfly range – including the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT% and the Zoom Vaporfly 4% – meets the stipulations of World Athletics' amended Technical Rules.

These prohibit shoes with soles that are thicker than 40 millimetres and the inclusion of more than one carbon-fibre plate, or similar item, in the sole.

The news comes amid criticism of the fairness of allowing athletes to compete while wearing the Vaporfly range, which have thick, foam soles and carbon-fibre plates to improve speed.

In 2019, 31 of the 36 podium positions in the six world marathon majors were won by elite athletes wearing Vaporfly, as reported by the Guardian.

World Athletics' Moratorium, which forms part of the Clothing section of the guidelines, also states that, from 30 April, shoes have to be on the open market for at least four months before an elite athlete can wear them for a contest.

While Vaporfly remains within the amends, the prototype Air Fly trainer that Nike-sponsored Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge wore to run a sub-two-hour marathon in October 2019 will be banned under the regulations.

The sneaker has a much chunkier sole than the Vaporfly and reportedly includes three carbon-fibre plates.

It has been reported, however, that Nike still has time to make amends to the Alpha Fly ahead of a release in March – over four months before the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on 24 July.

This could make it possible for athletes to wear the shoe during the major competition.

(02/04/2020) Views: 1,732 ⚡AMP
by Eleanor Gibson
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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World record-holders Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei headline the star-studded Kenyan marathon team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Eliud Kipchoge, who is the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, will be seeking to defend the title he won in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil four years ago where he clocked 2:08:44.

Kipchoge, whose record stands at 2:01:39, will lead the Kenyan men’s team which also has debutant Chicago Marathon champion Lawrence Cherono, world silver medalist Amos Kipruto, former world half marathon silver medalist Bedan Karoki, and African Games half marathon winner Titus Ekiru. The duo of Karoki and Ekiru are on stand by.

Cherono, 32, made it to the team courtesy of his heroics in Chicago last year, where he timed 2:05:45 to win the race— just six months after claiming the Boston Marathon. He has a personal best of 2:04:06 recorded in Amsterdam in 2018. Cherono’s half marathon personal best stands at 1:00:46 posted in San Diego, USA last year.

Kipruto called on the sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed to accord the team support like she did during the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. He termed the selection process as tough for AK owing to the number of top marathoners in the country pursuing to make the team.

“It was tough for AK to pick the team from the pool of marathoners we have. We are happy to have made the cut and we hope we will enjoy maximum support. The CS was in Doha with us during the World championships and her presence motivated the team. We will maintain our mentality and discipline in camp,” he said.

Similarly, Brigid Kosgei will lead the women’s team which will also feature world champion Ruth Chepngetich and former London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot. Sally Kaptich and Vallary Aiyabei are on standby

Kosgei broke Paula Radcliffe's 16-year-old record held by a massive 81 seconds in October last year during the Chicago Marathon after crossing the line in 2:14:04. She is also the London Marathon champion and has half marathon personal best of 1:04:28. 

Chepngetich defied sweltering conditions in Doha to be crowned the world champion last year, where she clocked 2:32:43. The 26-year-old has a marathon personal best at 2:17:08 which she ran in Dubai last year. Her half marathon best time is 1:05:30. 

For Vivian, she returns to the Olympics as a marathoner after reigning supreme in the 5,000 and 10,000m races in the previous four editions. The decorated athlete won the 5,000m race in Rio and took silver in 10,000m. She will be hoping to add yet another Olympic gold medal to her rich collection. Her full marathon personal best is 2:18:31 which was recorded in London in 2018. Her half marathon best time is 1:06:34.

“It is the best team ever assembled for the Olympics. We are going to work hard in training and make our country proud,” said Cheruiyot

Training is set to begin on May 1 in Kaptagat according to AK President Jackson Tuwei.

(01/31/2020) Views: 1,646 ⚡AMP
by Meshack Kisenge
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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Fifty-six years after having organized the Olympic Games, the Japanese capital will be hosting a Summer edition for the second time, originally scheduled from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the games were postponed due to coronavirus outbreak, the postponed Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to the International Olympic Committee decision. ...

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