'The vision stays the same': Irish athletes react to Olympic postponement
Irish athletes have today been digesting the IOC decision - expected and all as it was - to postpone this summer's Olympic Games until 2021.
Several Irish athletes - not all of whom have yet booked their spot at Tokyo - took to Twitter to give their reaction to the postponing of the 2020 Games.
Two-time world rowing champion Sanita Puspure
Just a thought from my child..
— Sanita Puspure OLY (@SanitaPuspure) March 24, 2020
" you could get pregnant now, have a baby girl and then get back training for Olympics"
Must love the positivity. #tokyo2021#COVID19
World bronze medal gymnast Rhys McClenaghan
Olympics Postponed until 2021... The vision stays the same 🥇 pic.twitter.com/XPDvP4h1sC
— Rhys Mcclenaghan (@McClenaghanRhys) March 24, 2020
50km racewalker Brendan Boyce
The @Olympics in @Tokyo2020/2021. It now has the potential to be the greatest show of unity, of life and of sport the world has ever seen. Let's crush #COVID19 #togtherapart pic.twitter.com/h3Cyj62Mk4
— Brendan Boyce ↗️ (@brendanboyce) March 24, 2020
Irish paralympic canoeist Patrick O'Leary
Shed a tear and I will but I realise there are bigger things in life. I was on an open call with 70 4th year chemistry students explaining how their assessments will work for their degree when the news of the cancellation of #Tokyo2020 came through. #onward
— Patrick O'Leary PLY (@eentjebeen) March 24, 2020
Irish 1,500m runner Ciara Mageean
Keep her lit til 2021 👊 https://t.co/MXScKx13eQ
— Ciara Mageean (@ciaramageean) March 24, 2020
Irish marathon runner Stephen Scullion
I’m not fully over the Olympics moving yet, but a great to look at it, is pretty simple. If you weren’t a medal prospect, then having an extra year is a gift. For the medal prospects, then it will simply make your Olympic dream a little harder. For most of us, it’s a gift. #time
— Stephen Scullion OLY (@scullion262) March 24, 2020
Irish sprinter Ciara Neville
The goal stays the same 🔥 #Tokyo2021 https://t.co/bGq1IKm9Gj
— Ciara Neville (@ciara_nev100) March 24, 2020
Former world racewalking champion and four-time Olympian Olive Loughnane
The right decision. A tough one for athletes but they know this is bigger than sport. Special shoutout to athletes such as @Tina_Desmond working on the front line during this crisis. Looking forward to roaring everybody on next year when Covid 19 is behind us 🇮🇪💪🇮🇪 https://t.co/OM3peIlNnF
— Olive Loughnane (@OliveLoughnane) March 24, 2020
Former Irish sprinter and Olympian Gary Ryan
No doubt this will be an emotional day for many athletes, but it is the right decision. It’s just one of those sacrifices we all have to make to protect those that are most vulnerable surely an unwritten part of the @Olympics spirit. Time for everyone to step up however u can https://t.co/ut4q4MMClw
— Gary Ryan (@GaryJohnRyan) March 24, 2020
Liam Harbison, Director of Sport Institute Ireland
Athletes like certainty. The decision to postpone is very disappointing for all preparing over the last four years and more, but it is the right decision and provides certainty. Time for a short reset and as a HP community we'll drive forward again to Tokyo in 2021. #COVID19
— Liam Harbison (@LiamHarbison) March 24, 2020
