Wellington-based swimmer Lewis Clareburt says he completely understands why the Tokyo Olympic Games may be postponed.
“As athletes, our health and safety must come first,” Clareburt said.
The 20-year-old is taking his preparation day by day while adapting to the changes presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This is just another challenge we have to face and adjust to. The key is to stay positive and continue doing what I can to keep myself on target for competition.”
Clareburt has achieved a number of accolades in recent years. In 2019 he earned a bronze medal at the Swimming World Championships in South Korea; the year prior he claimed a bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The potential postponement could even be an advantage for Clareburt as the young athlete continues to see improvements in his performance.
“I think another year is beneficial if they postpone it for that period. I am young, and still have a lot of gains to make, so time is an advantage for me in contrast to older competitors.”
As training regimes alter, Clareburt is motivated to progress his training, whether it be in the pool or at home.
“In terms of training, I am not 100 per cent sure what is going to happen. It is a good opportunity to trial new workouts and ways to progress my skill, even if this is not in the water.”
Clareburt has no doubt his fellow New Zealand Team athletes will also be up for the new challenge.
“It is important to remain positive and adapt. Sport will always be relevant, and we just have to prioritise our health and safety before anything else.”
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