It is increasingly looking to be a dream deferred to 2021 for the numerous Island athletes who have been training for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. At least it won’t be a dream denied with outright cancellation.
The announcement Sunday night that Canada will not be sending a team to the Tokyo Olympics this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, rippled through the sporting community on the Island, which is the base for several national teams and also many home-grown potential Tokyo Olympians.
The Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee urgently called on the International Olympic Committee to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games for one year. On Monday, Australia followed Canada’s lead and also said its athletes would not compete in an Olympic Games this summer.
The IOC said it will have an announcement about the status of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games within four weeks. It said the Games would not be cancelled but indicated a postponement is possible. For most observers, including Island athletes, postponement appears inevitable and they are dealing with the reality of it.
“We planned to be there this summer with a great opportunity to win an Olympic medal but there are more important things right now than sports,” said Matt Sharpe of Victoria, a member of Canada’s highly regarded triathlon relay team.
“It’s tough. But Canadian authorities are putting athletes’ safety first,” said the Campbell River native and Claremont Secondary graduate.
“We have to look at the big picture and community at large and not just ourselves. There are times to put personal goals aside and this is one of them. Canada took the leadership on this and is setting a good example. This is not forever. We are in a holding pattern. If we see improvement in the spread of the virus, or a vaccine, then we will be re-focusing on an Olympic medal in Tokyo in 2021.”
Rower Caileigh Filmer is another Island athlete who was an Olympic-medal prospect for Tokyo 2020. Filmer and Hillary Janssens were world gold- and bronze- medallists in women’s pairs the past two years heading into the Tokyo Olympic year. That Olympic journey may now have to be pushed back a year.
“We will continue training, but will listen to our medical staff to stay healthy and safe, and we will be ready to go for a medal whenever it is that the Olympics take place,” said Filmer, a University of Victoria athlete out of Mount Douglas Secondary.
Those thoughts were echoed by surfer Mathea Olin of Tofino, the 16-year-old surfing prodigy who medalled in the 2019 Lima Pan American Games, and was looking to do the same on the biggest stage of all as her sport prepared to make its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.
“It was definitely something I was training for and something everybody in our sport was looking forward to,” said Olin.
“This just gives us more time to prepare and qualify for next year. We have a great team and we’ll be excited for the Olympics whenever they happen.”
The Langford-based Canadian women’s rugby sevens team, tied for second in the World Series standings, was an Olympic medal favourite for Tokyo 2020 after taking bronze at the 2016 Rio Summer Games.
“This is disappointing but not surprising,” said Canadian head coach John Tait of Mill Bay.
“It is the most logical and safest decision. But it’s still a terrible feeling, regardless. I hope the IOC can and will move the Games to next summer and that it’s a lot safer then. It’s hard to compete under these conditions.”
Lambrick Park softball grad Emma Entzminger aggreed.
“I am proud of Canada for taking this stand because this situation is bigger than sports,” said Entzminger, who qualified for the Tokyo Olympics with the Canadian softball team.
“It showed the world what’s right. Health is No. 1.”
Triathlon Canada, Rowing Canada, Surfing Canada and Rugby Canada are among 10 national sport federations with head offices and national training centres on the Island. More than 50 Island or Island-based athletes were expected to compete in the Tokyo Olympics this summer. They may instead be 2021 Olympians in Japan.
“While we recognize the complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community,” said the Canadian Olympic Committee in a statement.
“This is not solely about athlete health — it is about public health. With COVID-19, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training toward these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow. We are thankful to the IOC for its assurance that it will not be cancelling the Tokyo 2020 Games and appreciative that it understands the importance of accelerating its decision-making regarding a possible postponement.”
