When the Olympics Delay Gets You to the Games

The postponement of the Olympics by a year because of the pandemic disrupted the plans of many athletes. Some had to push off personal decisions — be it enrolling in college, having children or turning professional in their sport — to continue training for another year. Some failed to qualify for events. Some missed the Games.

Yet for a small group like Salamán, the delay provided an unexpected opportunity.

For Rikako Ikee, 21, the Japanese swimmer who was hospitalized for 10 months in 2019 with leukemia, she had extra time to regain her strength and qualify for an Olympics she was originally going to miss. Kim Je-deok, 17, the South Korean archer who won a gold medal on Saturday in the mixed team competition, could overcome the shoulder ailment that would have prevented him from participating last summer.

Alex Morgan, 32, a star soccer player for the United States, gained time with her newborn daughter and avoided racing against the clock to be ready for the 2020 Games. And Delaney Spaulding, 26, the starting shortstop for the United States’ softball team, could opt to have surgery on her injured right knee.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/27/sports/olympics/covid-athletes-training.html