The quarantine experience has become routine for those travelling the world to play or watch sport during the coronavirus crisis.
It has been that way in Japan for the Tokyo Olympics. Depending on which country you arrive from, there may be a period of isolation to tolerate before being allowed to participate in the Games.
This has been the case for Stats Perform's journalist on the ground, Peter Hanson, who is approaching the end of a three-day quarantine at his hotel in order to comply with the rules for UK residents working in a media capacity in the Japanese capital.
Here, he provides five tips on how to survive quarantine…
Tip 1: Binge on Netflix
Admittedly this isn't a particularly novel idea but when you're pretty much confined to a hotel room for three days what better way to pass the time than with some easy watching?
It doesn't have to be Netflix…there are plenty of other streaming services available of course. But, right now I'm powering through the US version of The Office (even if that makes me feel a little traitorous towards the original UK edition, which – sorry folks – remains the significantly better show).
Tip 2: Reading
It's good to come prepared. Having undertaken a 12-and-a-half-hour flight to get to Tokyo before the three days of isolation even began, having a good book (or even a bad one really) just made good sense.
I'm a big fan of Harlan Coben's work, so with me in Tokyo is his thriller 'The Boy in the Woods', and also a book about the world's greatest football team…Sheffield Wednesday, penned by Sheffield Star journalist Alex Miller.
Tip 3: Bring out the bangers…
Admittedly this tip comes on the back of a bit of a head loss…but when in the moment, you have to fully embrace it folks!
Crack on with your Spotify, your Apple Music, or wherever you get your tunes from and let the music take control! Friday's morning get-up song for me belonged to Ronan Keating because, well, life is a rollercoaster right now…
Tip 4: Sick tricks!
This one is inspired by one of my best friends back home, who will often yell "sick tricks!" before doing something pretty juvenile or a very basic skill with the confidence and gusto of a trapeze artist… and it gets a laugh from me pretty much every time.
Luckily, just before I left my house in Sheffield I spotted a tennis ball to take with me and – recalling the feats of skills posted by several ATP and WTA stars online during their own Australian Open quarantines – decided to have a go at some of my own tennis-ball tricks…it did not go particularly well.
Tip 5: Work, work, work...
No, not the Rihanna song... although playing that on repeat would absolutely be a great way to spend your time in quarantine.
What I'm alluding to is the fact that at some point during a three-day quarantine, some work will have to be done.
Only, in this case I got distracted by my Football Manager save and decided that was also a pretty decent way to kill some time…
Shericka Jackson stuns as she collects 2022 RJR/Gleaner Honour Award for Sports
In acknowledgement of her incredible exploits on the track in 2022, Shericka Jackson, the 2023 World 200m champion, was awarded the Gleaner Honour Awards at a ceremony held at the studios of Television Jamaica on Tuesday.
Jackson, who won the 200m world title in Eugene, Oregon, last year in a then championship record of 21.45, which at the time was the second fastest time ever run by a woman over the distance, also won a silver medal in the 100m behind compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. She was also a silver medallist in the 4x100m relay.
The 29-year-old track and field superstar, who successfully defended her title in Budapest last month, was one of 11 recipients of the award that the Gleaner bestows on Jamaicans who were outstanding in their respective fields of pursuit.
Stunningly beautiful and statuesque, dressed in a black strapless sequined gown and white track shoes, Jackson collected her award in during the ceremony that was recorded Tuesday night and is to be aired on Television Jamaica later Wednesday evening.
“Thank you to the RJR/Gleaner Communications Group for acknowledging my hard work by presenting me with the RJR/Gleaner Honour Award in the field of Sports for my World Championships performance of 21.45. It was a pleasure,” she wrote on Instagram.
At the world championships in Budapest in August, Jackson smashed her own championship record when she ran 21.41 to win her second world title and capped her season by winning the 100m in 10.70 and the 200m in 21.57s at the Diamond League finals in Eugene on September 16 and 17.
Goule-Toppin delighted to end season with national record
Jamaican 800m specialist Natoya Goule-Toppin rebounded from a disappointing outing at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest where she failed to reach the final by establishing a new national 800m record at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.
Goule-Toppin finished third in the race behind American superstar Athing Mu, who rebounded from a bronze medal at the World Championships with an American Record 1:54.97 to win, and British World Championship silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson who ran a British Record 1:55.19 in second.
Goule-Toppin’s time in third was 1:55.96, bettering her own previous national record 1:56.15 set back in 2018.
Despite not taking the win on Sunday, the 32-year-old was delighted to end her season with that performance.
“I wanted the win because I know I have the ability to do it but I’m really happy with the third especially the national record,” Goule-Toppin said.
“I’ve been longing to run 1:55 and today was the day. The last one was the best one. It’s the last race of the season and I’m going home happy,” she added.
Goule-Toppin had been flirting with a sub 1:56 time for a number of years and she says the presence of competitors like Mu, Hodgkinson and World Champion Mary Moraa, who finished fourth, pushed her to this time.
“I kept saying once I stay with them I know I’ll run fast as well so when I saw 1:54, I knew I ran something fast but I didn’t know what it was. I was congratulating the girls then I looked back, saw my name and started rejoicing,” she said.
The 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist also gave credit to the man above for her exploits on Sunday.
“I was patient and I prayed a lot. I said God, let your will be done and just help me to go out there and be strong and smart,” she said.
“All day I was talking to myself. It sounds crazy but I kept saying run through the line. Before I went out, my coach said the same thing,” she added.
Newly crowned Diamond League double-sprint champion Shericka Jackson grateful after dominant 2023 season
“Grateful” was the dominant term used by Jamaican Shericka Jackson after bringing her phenomenal 2023 season to an end at the Diamond League Final at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on Saturday and Sunday.
The 29-year-old entered the meet as the reigning Diamond trophy winner in the 200m and was aiming to defend that title as well as claim her maiden trophy in the 100m.
She did the latter on Friday, running 10.70 for victory. Saturday saw the two-time World Champion claim her second straight trophy in the 200m, running a meet record 21.57, her fourth straight time below 22 seconds, for a comfortable win.
Jackson mentioned after the 200m that winning both trophies has been among her goals for the past two seasons.
“Last year I wrote on my goals that I want two Diamond League trophies and I didn’t get them. I wrote that again this year and now I’ve got it and I’m grateful. It’s the end of the season, I’m healthy and I’ve run some fast times so I’m definitely grateful,” she said.
Another of Jackson’s goals this season was to break Florence Griffith-Joyner’s long-standing world record of 21.34 set in 1988.
Despite not getting it done, Jackson was pleased with her work in 2023.
“I’m feeling good. I said it in a previous interview that If I don’t get it I’m okay but if I do get it it’s a plus. I didn’t get it this year and I’m okay and happy. I’m still grateful for being healthy and I was so consistent. I only ran 21.4 once last season and to be able to run three this year, I’m feeling good,” she said.
Her consistency was indeed the most impressive part of her season in both the 100m and 200m.
In 14 100m races this season, Jackson ran faster than 10.8 six times including her personal best of 10.65 done to defend her Jamaican 100m title in July. Jackson also ran 10.72 for silver at the World Championships in Budapest.
In the half-lap event, Jackson ran 11 races with seven seeing her dip below 22 seconds.
In the last month alone, Jackson has run the 2nd, 4th and 8th fastest times in history with her 21.41 at the World Championships in Budapest, 21.48 at the Brussels Diamond League and 21.57 on Sunday. Jackson also owns the 3rd and 6th fastest times ever.
When asked about her thoughts about the upcoming Olympic year, Jackson said she just wants to enjoy her time off.
“Honestly, I haven’t put any thought into the Olympics yet. I just take it one season at a time. I’m healthy right now and I have probably six weeks break so I want to just enjoy that,” she said.
“I’ve been so focused on doing well this season and now I want to focus on having my break and then I’ll go back to the drawing board,” she added.
Finally, Jackson described the 200m at the Budapest World Championships as the high point of her season.
“The 200m at the World Championships was really the high point of my season. I knew I was in pretty good shape but I didn’t know I was going to run that fast,” she said.
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