#TuksAthletics: Uncertainty is athletes enemy said Simbine’s coach

Posted on April 06, 2020

South Africa's foremost athletics coaches are uncertain as to what to do in light of the coronavirus outbreak lockdown. 

The indications are that it could be a considerable time before any athlete is allowed back on the track to train or compete.

"It creates a unique challenge. Not knowing is any athlete or coach's worst 'enemy'," said Werner Prinsloo who coaches the South African 100m record holder Akani Simbine. 

"As things stand, I don't believe there is any chance of any international athletics meetings taking place before August. Wimbledon has already been cancelled. It stands to reason that World Athletics might consider postponing or cancel the Diamond League Meetings in Oslo (11 June), Paris (13 June), London (4 July) and Monaco (10 July). They have already done so with the first five meetings," said the Tuks based coach.

"The question is whether the athletes should continue to hope of maybe competing sometime after May. It boils down to them in the meanwhile needing to try and find innovative ways to keep fit. 

"Another option would be to call it a day and instead start to refocus on next year's Tokyo Olympic Games. The risk of a too-long 'winter program' is that an athlete might lose focus and motivation. An athlete's reward for long hours spent training is competition. They need to run at least one good race to realise what is expected from them during practice works."

According to the Tuks based coach, the coronavirus outbreak caught the whole international sports community off-guard.

"None of us saw it coming. The reality of sport is that some athletes might not ever find the same form again. It is even going to be a challenge for Akani and me. Judging by his performance during the Gauteng North Championships where he ran 9.91s in the heats we were on track for a good season. It, however, does not help to ponder on what could have been."

The Tuks based coach said he is trying to make the most of lockdown by trying to catch up on his research of trying to find ways to gain Simbine that extra few hundredths of a second over 100 metres. Experience has taught him it is all about marginal gains. 

 

 

- Author Wilhelm de Swardt

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