Jereem “The Dream “Richards was eagerly anticipating his Olympic debut in Tokyo, Japan, this summer. Unfortunately, the rude intervention of COVID-19 forced postponement of the Games, which will now be staged in July/August, next year.

“Based on how training was going and how I was feeling,” Richards told the Express, “I definitely felt I was on track to do something special this year. But God makes no mistakes, and I trust in Him going forward.”

The reigning Commonwealth Games men’s 200 metres champion sees the silver lining in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision to push back Tokyo 2020 by a full year.

“I would have preferred the Olympics in 2020, but I’m not opposed to it being in 2021. Now, I have more time to get stronger and work on my weaknesses.”

Richards is based in Alabama, USA, but is currently in Trinidad and Tobago. He explained that his training programme has been disrupted.

“Currently there are no facilities available for use, so all I can do is at-home workouts. And I can go to my father-in-law’s house for the gym because he has some free weights. I’m just trying to stay as fit as possible with the resources I have available. In the event there are any meets this year, I will be prepared.”

Richards said that while postponement of the Olympics could mean he will be better prepared for the Games, his approach to training during this crucial period will make all the difference.

“It’s going to depend on how I work throughout this struggle, how I stay focused. If I stay positive and centred on my goals, I believe I can be in better shape than I was.”

The 26-year-old sprinter said that a one-year delay in staging the Olympics will not necessarily level the playing field. “In a sense I think everyone can have a fair chance, but I’m not sure everyone has the same struggles. For example, I may not be able to use a track, but somewhere else in the world someone else might be able to, so it all depends on the struggle and how we work with it individually.”

With the international athletics calendar indefinitely suspended, Richards stands to lose a big chunk of income in 2020. The 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championship 200m bronze medallist, however, is grateful for the loyalty displayed by his main sponsor.

“Financially COVID-19 has affected me drastically as it has everyone. But Adidas has been there for me and currently is still supporting me.”

With the novel coronavirus outbreak creating a global atmosphere of uncertainty, the 15 months leading up to the Olympics could prove to be extremely challenging for Richards. The situation would be exacerbated if COVID-19 continues to prevent meets from being staged, drying up the Point Fortin athlete’s source of income.

“At this point the best I can do is just budget myself, focus on my needs and what is most important for my development. I make that my priority,” Richards ended, “so it can enable me to weather the storm successfully.”