The Corona Virus toll on full time athletes
As the Corona Virus toll continues we got in touch with Irish athlete Brendan Doyle to see how a full time athlete copes with putting a career he’s worked so hard for on hold.
“I hope you and all your loved ones are safe right now, its wild times for sure and it’s incredible how this blew up the way that it did. I was in Korea competing in Jan this year and we were getting whispers of this virus that was spreading and as I traveled from Korea back to the US there was very little if any restrictions in place. It wasn’t until I was coming home and coming into Ireland my travel history was checked and I wasn’t in any hot spots within the 14 day period, but now in such a short space of time.
The 2020 sporting calander post COVID-19
Returning home I read of people self isolating and I felt it was the right decision as my family members are at risk (I myself am asthmatic so looking at the most recent HSE guidelines i guess I’m at risk also) So as I left my self-isolation period I made the request to come back to the gym I trained in, but as you may have seen Ireland has been taking a proactive stance on this virus and the gym was closed.
So I am now coming into my Pre-Olympic season which is an extremely important one as it sets me up for having the best chance of points for Olympic qualification in the 2021/22 season. I am faced with the reality of having to prepare for the most important seasons of my life with no gyms/tracks and unable to buy or source any equipment. Its extremely challenging times. Where I not only understand and welcome the restrictions imposed it doesn’t stop clock and days become weeks and I know weeks will become months. I feel a part of being a high performance athlete is the ability to compartmeznaltise and find a way around an obstruction, so I will do what I can to continue my training.
Boosting your immune system to avoid COVID-19
Putting the stress of this pandemic aside, and the implications it has on my training, I am going to find it very challenging to fund the next two years, this is something that keeps me up at night, it’s something I find a massive weight on my back. I put all this hard work in, I’ve put every last penny from my savings into this pursuit and now as i approach the crescendo I’m met with the reality of another recession and a pandemic. Its a world of uncertainty right now, but I have the gift of having a spot light of sport and the Olympics to keep my eyes looking forward and mind focused
These are incredibly challenging times we face right now, but we must not let it take over. I will continue to pour my heart and soul into my training and my pursuit despite the many reasons I have to stop”
“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Foll0w Bendan –
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