Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games postponed due to coronavirus

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Tokyo Olympics have now been postponed until 2021 after talks between Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, and International Olympic Committee president, Thomas Bach led to the decision.

The event, was due to begin on 24 July and will now take place “no later than summer 2021”.

Japans Prime Minister stated “I proposed to postpone for a year and [IOC] president Thomas Bach responded with 100% agreement,”

Athlete reaction:

Many triathletes have been training for years towards these games so it was no doubt going to be a hard one to swallow, but all have taken the same stance that peoples health comes first before anything.

Alistair Brownlee gave his reaction to the news on Twitter:

Evidently a very tough decision for the IOC and other stakeholders to make but in my opinion the right one. Both, for the message it sends to people around the world battling with the virus and to give clarity to athletes attempting to prepare. https://t.co/T9zCubmk0Z

— Alistair Brownlee (@AliBrownleetri) March 24, 2020

Hayden Wilde shared a positive note on the decision having only been in the sport for three years, that he will now get to have his four year journey to the games.

View this post on Instagram

The 2020 journey will continue as the 2021 goal awaits us! I guess most people have had 4 years for another Olympic moment since Rio I’ve only been in the sport for 3 years guess I do get my 4 year journey after all 🤘🏾🤘🏾 . . The Chase for the 5 rings continue #earnthefern . . 📸: @tomshawphoto

A post shared by Hayden_Wilde (@hayden_wilde) on Mar 24, 2020 at 1:04pm PDT