Two-time Olympic medallist Keshorn Walcott is in Puerto Rico working on an intense training regime in anticipation of a long-awaited return to top-flight competition.
The javelin ace returns to the international stage at the 60th Ostrava Golden Spike Games in Czech Republic on Wednesday, after a hiatus of over 19 months from the sport, owing to the pandemic. His last meet was the IAAF World Athletics Championships in September 2019.
Walcott arrived in Puerto Rico ten days ago and will use it as a base to travel to competition in Europe ahead of the July 23-August 8 Tokyo Games. His coach, Ismael Lopez-Mastrapa is expected to join him within the coming days.
The 28-year old described the past year “non-existent,” as he was unable to compete at the few major meets on the European circuit. From mid-March 2020 to early November, all sporting facilities were shut down to reduce the spread of covid19.
On November 6, however, the government announced that athletes preparing to represent TT on the local and international circuit could resume training at sporting facilities, once they adhered to strict covid19 protocols.
As tough as it was to delay outdoor training during that seven-month period, Walcott used the down time to get some much-needed rest. Now, with the Olympics just over two months away, Walcott is eager to return to competition.
“I decided to take it upon myself this year. Last year was non-existent regarding competition. There were competition still ongoing in Europe, but clearly I’m at a year’s disadvantage in terms of catching up. I decided to try my best to leave TT early as possible.
“Whether or not it would take three or four months out here (preparing) before Olympics, I have to make it happen if I have any hopes of performing well at the games, You can train all you want, but it’s a different setting when it comes to competition.”
After next week’s stint in the Czech Republic, Walcott travels to Gateshead, Great Britain, for the IAAF’s first instalment of the 2021 Wanda Diamond League. From there, he heads to Finland for the June 7-8 Paavo Nurmi Games. Walcott is also scheduled to participate in a handful of other meets before the Summer Games.
With all of his competition venues in the eastern hemisphere, Walcott will have to pass through an array of covid19 checkpoints, quarantine facilities and other mandatory requirements to enter various countries. He has no plans to return to TT before the Tokyo Games.
Luckily, he has already received his first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine in Trinidad and is open to receiving his second dose in another country, once it's made available.
Walcott supports the idea of athletes being vaccinated beforehand to minimise the risk of catching the virus, especially during international transit.
Additionally, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and China recently teamed up to offer vaccines to athletes and teams preparing for the Tokyo and 2022 Beijing Winter Games.
“I am not one of those anti-vaccine people. I am trying to achieve something
