COMMONWEALTH gold medallist Jereem Richards is hoping the coronavirus does not affect the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, saying the forthcoming games is the best chance for him to earn an Olympic medal.

On Thursday, at a post-Cabinet press briefing the Prime Minister said,"The Olympics in Tokyo is now up in the air because the information that I am getting is that the authorities are saying that they won’t even consider a postponement. Any action to be taken would be a cancellation of the Olympics."

International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound, who has decades of experience, told the UK Guardian a decision of whether the Tokyo Games will be held can be made either three or two months before the Games. This gives the IOC until the end of May to make a final decision.

Richards, 26, is one of TT’s top athletes and is expected to qualify for the Tokyo Games. Richards won gold in the men’s 200-metres event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia and, last year, was part of the quartet that copped gold in the men’s 4x400m event at the World Relays in Yokohama, Japan. An Olympic medal is still missing from his collection.

Richards, speaking to Newsday, said,"Leading into Tokyo I am still going to prepare the same way I was preparing if it is cancelled or not, I am still going to work hard the same way and hope for the best. Hopefully the coronavirus is under control and we would be able to go there and perform, but, if not, I would still be in good shape to compete in whatever other meets that is safe for me to attend."

The Point Fortin native said he is now at the age where he can achieve his fullest potential.

"I will be very disappointed (if it is cancelled) because I am currently 26 and my next Olympics after this one I will be 30, so this one I think I would have had my best chance to get a medal.

Hopefully by the grace of God they are able to pull it off and we get this virus under control but if not I just have to trust in my training, trust in God and keep pushing forward. Maybe if it does not happen maybe it was not in the books for it to happen for me."

TT swimmer Cherelle Thompson recently achieved the Olympic B qualification standard in the women’s 50m freestyle. Thompson is trying to stay focused and not get distracted by the coronavirus."It is definitely something that is at the back of my mind. I am trying not to worry about it too much and focus on my training, but if it did come to that (being cancelled), that will definitely be a very disappointing, heartbreaking happening but I am hoping that things work out. If they need to change the venue for the least, but not to postpone it." –

With reporting by Jonathan Ramnanansingh