IT’S HERE
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FINALLY it’s here. Tokyo 2020 will be an Olympic Games like no other. For a start it’s happening in 2021, delayed by a year due to Covid-19. The Olympics has been cancelled before, because of World Wars, but never successfully postponed. Nor has an Olympic Games ever been staged during a global pandemic. The boxing will take place at the Kokugikan Arena, Tokyo’s historic venue for sumo wrestling, without crowds, beginning on Saturday (July 24) and finishing on August 8.
Coronavirus brings plenty of complications. The athletes’ movements will be restricted within the Olympic environment, all will be under the pressure of having to pass regular Covid tests or else be forced into isolation, potentially even missing out on their events. How these additional pressures affect the individuals in competition, time will only tell.
For Britain these Games are still a golden opportunity. This might just be the best GB Olympic team since 1956. Of course there have been excellent British squads in recent cycles. GB secured three medals at Rio 2016 and Beijing 2008, as well as a remarkable five at London 2012. Those squads have produced brilliant Olympians like Nicola Adams and professionals like Josh Taylor, Anthony Joshua and James DeGale to name but a few. But going into Tokyo what this squad has throughout its 11 members are seasoned international medal winners in virtually every category. The GB Boxing programme has done an excellent job at keeping this unit together, with so much uncertainty blighting amateur boxing over the last year. Every British boxer
