The body has requested the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee advise the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to postpone the Games, which are due to take place from July 24 to August 9.
It follows on from USA Swimming requesting the Olympics be held in 2021, with the majority of sport across the globe not currently taking place due to the continued threat of COVID-19.
USATF chief executive Max Siegel posted an open letter on Twitter, which read: "We certainly understand the ramifications of this request, and the realities of trying to coordinate the logistics of a postponed Olympic Games around the schedules of other athletes, sport federations, key stakeholders etc.
"But the alternative of moving forward in light of the current global situation would not be in the best interest of our athletes (as difficult as that decision might be)."
The letter added that postponing the Games would provide clarity for athletes and allow them "adequate time to properly prepare themselves physically, mentally and emotionally to participate in a safe and successful Olympics Games" and "shift their focus toward taking care of themselves and their families".
There have been growing calls for the Games to be postponed but IOC president Thomas Bach said cancelling the Olympics is not on the agenda, though different scenarios are under consideration.
It was confirmed on Monday the Tokyo Olympics will take place between July 23 and August 8, 2021, with the Games – which were due to start on July 24 of this year – having been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Discussions are now ongoing to find an alternative gap in the calendar for the Worlds in Oregon, which are scheduled to be held between August 6 and 15, 2021, as it stands.
World Athletics are also liaising with the relevant parties of the Commonwealth Games and European Championships, both of which are slated for 2022.
A World Athletics statement read: "We support the new 2021 dates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games announced today by the Japanese organisers and the IOC.
"This gives our athletes the time they need to get back into training and competition.
"Everyone needs to be flexible and compromise and to that end we are now working with the organisers of the World Athletics Championships in Oregon on new dates in 2022 for our World Athletics Championships.
"We are also in discussions with the Commonwealth Games Federation and the European Championships.
"We would like to thank our Oregon 21 Organising Committee, their stakeholders and our partners for their collaboration and willingness to explore all options."
The world of sport has been decimated by the outbreak of COVID-19, which has seen the Olympic Games in Tokyo postponed by a year until 2021.
That had a knock-on effect with the World Athletics Championships, originally scheduled for 2021 in Oregon, pushed back by 12 months, while the 2020 European Championships have been cancelled.
A World Athletics statement said the fund will be used to help athletes who have lost the majority of their income from the suspension of international competition.
Resources from the 2020 and 2021 budgets of the IAF, of which Prince Albert II of Monaco is honorary president, will be allocated to help athletes.
World Athletics president and IAF chair Sebastian Coe will front "an expert multi-regional working group to assess the applications for assistance, which will be submitted through World Athletics' six Area Associations".
Olympic champion and 1500 metres world record-holder Hicham El Guerrouj and Olympic pole vault champion Katerina Stefanidi are among the members of the working group, which will convene in the coming week for talks over how to award and distribute grants to individual athletes and to assess means of raising additional monies for the fund.
"I would especially like to thank Hicham for bringing this idea to us, and Prince Albert for his strong support of this project," Coe said.
"I am in constant contact with athletes around the world and I know that many are experiencing financial hardship as a consequence of the shutdown of most international sports competition in the last two months.
"Our professional athletes rely on prize money as part of their income and we're mindful that our competition season, on both the track and road, is being severely impacted by the pandemic.
"We are hopeful that we will be able to stage at least some competition later this year, but in the meantime we will also endeavour, through this fund and additional monies we intend to seek through the friends of our sport, to help as many athletes as possible."
El Guerrouj added: "The pandemic is causing economic pain to people from all parts of society, including athletes, and this is a time when we must come together as a global community to help each other.
"I am delighted that Seb and World Athletics reacted so positively to my suggestion that we create a fund for athletes, and have made it happen with the support of the International Athletics Foundation.
"The suspension of competition has had a huge impact on many professional athletes because they can't earn prize money so I'm really pleased that we have found a way to assist them."
Prince Albert II said he hopes the initiative can help athletes continue preparations for next year's Games.
"I created more than 35 years ago the International Athletics Foundation with the late Primo Nebiolo to encourage and promote athletics and grant financial assistance to athletics federations and the most deserving athletes," he said.
"Since its inception the Foundation has distributed for these purposes more than $30million. I am delighted that we can put our resources behind this initiative so we can make a difference to the lives of athletes who are suffering financially at this time.
"We hope that this support will help those athletes preparing for international competition, including next year's Olympic Games, to sustain their training, support their families and that this will relieve them of some stress in these uncertain times."
The coronavirus pandemic last month forced the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to postpone the Games until July 23, 2021.
In line with that decision, World Athletics has decided – in consultation with its Athletes' Commission, area presidents and Council – to alter the qualification period, meaning any results between April 6 and November 30 will not count towards Tokyo 2020 entry standards or world rankings.
Although qualification status cannot be achieved or boosted in this time, results shall continue to be recorded for statistical purposes, and athletes who had already met entry standards before April 6 will remain qualified.
Should the global situation improve, qualification will resume on December 1 and run through to new deadlines, which are no later than June 29, 2021.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said: "I am grateful for the detailed work and feedback from our Athletes' Commission and Council, who believe suspending Olympic qualification during this period gives more certainty for athlete planning and preparation, and is the best way to address fairness in what is expected to be the uneven delivery of competition opportunities across the globe for athletes given the challenges of international travel and government border restrictions."
The organisation also confirmed as of Tuesday, 50 per cent of their "HQ staff" have been furloughed.
The government of Monaco will contribute 70 per cent of the wages of those staff in question, with World Athletics topping up the rest to ensure employees are paid their salary in full.
Coe added: "This decision, made possible by the Monaco government, means we will focus only on business-critical activities for the short-term, which will help us manage our cashflow effectively and protect jobs in the long-term.
"All World Athletics HQ staff will remain on their full salaries during this period with the organisation topping up the Monaco government's contribution.
"We have taken care to ensure the support and services we provide to our member federations, areas, partners, stakeholders, athletes and the wider athletics community remain in place with a reduced team."
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday confirmed the event, which was due to start on July 24, will be put back until next year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
IOC president Thomas Bach last weekend put a four-week timeframe on making a decision over whether the Games would go ahead as scheduled, despite being under huge pressure to announce a postponement.
World Athletics says it was important athletes know where they stand and will notify them of any changes to the qualifying process as soon as possible.
"World Athletics welcomes the decision of the IOC and the Japanese Government to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to 2021," the global governing body said in a statement.
"It is what athletes want and we believe this decision will give all athletes, technical officials and volunteers some respite and certainty in these unprecedented and uncertain times.
"Athletics will continue to do whatever we can to preserve and create an outdoor season of one-day meetings in 2020, starting and ending later than usual, so athletes, when they are able and it is safe to, will have access to competitions in every region.
"This will help them benchmark their performances and adjust their training accordingly for an Olympic Games in 2021.
"In light of this announcement, we will also expedite our current review of the Olympic qualification system, in cooperation with the IOC, and release any changes to the process as soon as possible so athletes know where they stand.
"World Athletics stands ready to work with the IOC and all sport on an alternative date for the Olympic Games in 2021 and has already been in discussion with the Organising Committee of the World Athletics Championships Oregon 21 regarding the possibility of moving the dates of this highly popular worldwide event.
"They have reassured us that they will work with all of their partners and stakeholders to ensure that Oregon is able to host the World Athletics Championships on alternative dates, including dates in 2022."
The rapid onslaught of the infectious disease has seen the postponement or cancellation of sporting events around the globe. In a bid to halt the spread of the virus, many universities in the United States have closed their doors, with the National Collegiate Athletic Association taking the decision to axe its spring athletics season last week.
Further afield, pressure continues to mount on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the Tokyo Games, with the latest news suggesting a decision would be reached in four weeks’ time. With the universities serving as a home, training base and source of frequent and healthy competition for athletes who may qualify to take part in the Olympics, Francis believes they will be hardest hit. The list could include several Jamaicans.
“The biggest problem I see is the NCs (NCAA) because that is where you have the most breakthroughs, so to speak, and that’s cancelled,” Francis told RJR Sports.
“Those athletes can’t even train because their coaches are gone home and the universities are closed, so most of them are without a coach,” he added.
“But by and large for most of the world much hasn’t changed, people still, for the most part, can do their workouts; they can’t compete but it’s up to the coaches to devise methods for substituting for competition.”
Francis believes, however, that athlete should not worry about missing out on the Olympics Games if it is cancelled, as there would still be opportunities to shine.
“Every year you have people that make a breakthrough, but I don’t think you need the Olympics to make a breakthrough. You can make a breakthrough so long as there are meets to be run."
Francis has coached the likes of Olympics and world champion medallists Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Melanie Walker, Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Asafa Powell.
For those athletes who are not sponsored the situation becomes dire because they can only earn by competing.
Among that group is Jamaica’s Schillonie Calvert, who is in Arizona in the United States preparing for the Olympic Games that have been pushed back a year until the summer of 2021. However, so far this season there have been no meets, which means she is unable to earn.
Unable to earn or return to Jamaica because of global travel restrictions, the 2012 London Olympics sprint-relay silver medalist has expressed concern over the circumstances.
“I’m worried because I’m not sure how long this pandemic will last. If you don’t have an income and you have to pay, you have to be worried as an individual, not only as an athlete,” said Calvert during an interview with the 12News channel in Arizona.
“If your federation don't step in to kind of support you, at the end of the day you don’t have any earnings. Think of us, Jamaica, we are third-world. Regardless of how we look at it and think we are important because we have done the country well and we have put the country out there on a global stage, they have to put whatever resources or whatever monetary funds into their healthcare."
Despite the challenges, Calvert, who turns 32 in July, remains hopeful she will make it through this challenging period and be ready for the Olympics in 2021.
“I’m still passionate about the sport. I’m still enjoying everything that I do, so I don’t think I’m going to walk away for now,” she said.
Calvert was also a member of Jamaica's sprint relay team that won gold at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.
She missed out on the 2016 Olympics in Rio because of injury.
The 17-year-old centre-back was named in Luis de la Fuente's provisional squad for Euro 2024 but was cut ahead of La Roja's final party being announced.
He is joined by Eric Garcia, who spent last season on loan at Girona, while Fermin Lopez and Alex Baena are included despite being at Euro 2024 with the senior team.
Head coach Santi Denia was able to select players under the age of 23, with Manchester City's Sergio Gomez, Sporting CP's Abel Ruiz and Real Betis left-back Juan Miranda taking the three overage spots.
The likes of Yamal, Williams and Pedri were eligible but have not been chosen in what is initially a 22-man squad but must be cut to 18 ahead of the Games.
Spain took silver at the delayed 2020 Games in Tokyo three years ago, losing 2-1 in extra time to Brazil in the gold medal match.
For this year's competition, they have been drawn alongside Uzbekistan, Egypt and the Dominican Republic in Group C, facing the former in their first match on July 24.
Provisional Spain squad: Arnau Tenas (Paris Saint-Germain), Joan Garcia (Espanyol), Alejandro Iturbe (Atletico Madrid), Marc Pubill (Almeria), Juanlu Sanchez (Sevilla), Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Cristhian Mosquera (Valencia), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Jon Pacheco (Real Sociedad), Juan Miranda (Real Betis), Miguel Gutierrez (Girona), Adrian Bernabe (Parma), Benat Turrientes (Real Sociedad), Alex Baena (Villarreal), Pablo Barrios (Atletico Madrid), Aimar Oroz (Osasuna), Sergio Gomez (Manchester City), Fermin Lopez (Barcelona), Diego Lopez (Valencia), Sergio Camello (Rayo Vallecano), Samu Omorodion (Atletico Madrid), Abel Ruiz (Braga).
“In 12 to 16 years, there is going to be a gold medal champion. That’s our vision, that’s our goal and we thank the Jamaica Olympic Association for helping is attempt to achieve that,” Robertson told media at the JOA Headquarters on Cunningham Avenue in Kingston.
Jamaican-born Ben Kong incorporated the Jamaica Curling Federation in Canada in 2020. The following year the Jamaica Curling Federation Limited was incorporated in Jamaica and operating as Curling Jamaica and in 2022 was granted membership to the Jamaica Olympic Federation and World Curling Federation, subsequently holding their first team practice in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Since then, it has made significant strides with Jamaican teams participating in the Pan Continental Championships held in Canada between October 29 and November 4, 2023. The women’s team made their international debut at the tournament and won the silver medal, finishing with a 5-2 record.
Jamaica’s Mixed Doubles team competed at the World Mixed Doubles qualifier in Dumfries, Scotland from December 2 to 9, 2023. Jamaica finished with a record of two wins and four losses in the 26 team tournament finishing third in their group from which China and France qualified for the World Championships.
“So we sent two teams to world events and since we are a new country we have to start in the pre-qualifying to work our way up to the actual world event,” Robertson explained.
“The women were five and two and we finished with the silver medal in the B Division of the Pan Continental. First place there would have put us into a world event, so they were one win away from being in the pool and a shot at the world championships. All of this earns points towards the Olympic pre-qualifying and getting into the main draw of the Olympics.
“We had sent a mixed doubles team to the mixed doubles world qualifying. There were 26 teams and it is broken down into pools. As it turns out two of the teams in the pool that Jamaica was in qualified for the worlds, so it was a tough group.”
Robertson revealed that there are plans for Jamaica to participate in more qualifying tournaments in 2024 as the association progresses its strategic plan for future growth.
“So this year we plan to have a men's team and a women's team which will play in the Pan Continentals in October and the next doubles team which will play at the end of November and potentially there'll be some other teams like World Seniors and various events like that which are more of practice for our players to get ready for the national, the big national three teams.”
Meantime, the association is concentrating on growing its membership thus widening the pool of potential players it can select from.
“Over the last couple of years we've grown the membership from the three. We actually have expanded to 25 now with our membership and like a sponsorship that helps us grow our finances so we can pay for day-to-day business transactions and so on.
“Our goal is to grow from within and the ultimate goal is to have four Jamaicans learn how to curl and in 12 to 16 years they win a gold medal in the Olympics.”
Curry shot 8-of-13 from 3-point range in a late masterclass as Team USA held off a late charge from France, sinking four of those after Victor Wembanyama had narrowed their lead to just three points.
It was the USA's fifth straight Olympic gold medal, though Curry's first as he shone on his debut at the Paris Games, and he is cherishing the victory.
"I've been blessed," Curry told NBC after the game. "This ranks very high in terms of the excitement and the sense of relief in getting to the finish line.
"I knew if I got to my spot [to make those late jumps] I could knock it down."
Wembanyama finished with a game-high 26 points for France, while Guerschon Yabusele also had 20, with 15 of those coming in the first half.
Despite falling just short in their late comeback, Wembanyama was in high spirits after claiming silver, though he already has his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
"I never dreamed of this moment," said Wembanyama. "It is incredible. I couldn't have asked for a better team, better coaches.
"The games were really high intensity, and we could have lost by 20 points, but we kept fighting. I will be going for gold in four years' time."
Serbia entered the fourth quarter of the game with a 13-point lead, but a stunning late comeback from the USA, who have won gold in each of the last four Olympics, instead saw them prevail 95-91.
Curry starred for Team USA, scoring 36 points, the second-highest scoring game by an individual in the team's Olympic history, and his two free throws in the dying seconds ensured Serbia were unable to force any more drama.
And Curry explained how the lure of a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal spurred them to avoid the shock defeat.
"We talked about it the whole way, all summer," he said. "No matter how it looked, we were going to be challenged at some point.
"Outside of the exhibition series we had a pretty smooth road. Serbia are tough. They're a great team.
"Playing them three times, it's always hard to beat a team that many times, so to come back the way we did was amazing.
"We have no quit, and we know how much this means to win a gold medal with this group and the moment we have in front of us.
"Obviously, I hit the big three, but our defence carried us. Defence wins games in any league, especially in FIBA, so it was pretty special."
Serbia at one point held a 17-point lead in the first half, with NBA MVP Nikola Jokic getting 17 points and 11 assists, though they floundered in the closing stages.
While Curry took most of the headlines, LeBron James made his mark too, tying the game at 84-84 with four minutes remaining.
He got 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to finish with a triple-double, becoming the first player ever to complete the feat twice at the Olympics.
He echoed Curry's sentiments on Serbia's strength, noting how that helped to get the best out of the USA.
"Give a lot of credit to Serbia," James said. "They gave us everything they had.
"It's a great team. They played exceptionally well. They tested us and we needed that."
The USA will face hosts France in the gold-medal match on Saturday.
Curry, who helped Team USA to an opening 110-84 win over Serbia, echoed a sentiment pushed by his Golden State Warriors coach, Steve Kerr.
Ahead of the Games, the USA endured a stern test against Wednesday's opponents earlier this month, narrowly avoiding a huge upset with a 101-100 victory in London.
South Sudan are making their first appearance at the Olympics, and got their campaign up and running with a 90-79 triumph over Puerto Rico.
Despite South Sudan not having any current NBA players on their roster, they have plenty of experience within their ranks.
The likes of Wenyen Gabriel, JT Thor and Marial Shayok all shone in their pre-tournament meeting with the USA, with Curry acknowledging a tough task lies ahead.
"We have appropriate fear," said Curry. "We know we can't just sleepwalk through any game and feel like you're going to win."
While the USA are still the clear favourites to win the encounter at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, head coach Kerr said their previous encounter will be to their advantage this time around.
"They came within one shot of beating us," Kerr said.
"I'm really glad that we played them so we can feel their speed and their 3-point shooting ability and feel how good they are."
"We'll be much better prepared [Wednesday]. But doesn't guarantee anything."
During their pre-tournament encounter, South Sudan scored 14 3-pointers against the Americans, making 10 more against Puerto Rico last time out.
"The exhibition schedule was great because you got to figure out where we need to get better and also feel the force of teams that are coming trying to beat us," Curry said.
"They're a very high-octane offense, spread the floor, shoot a lot of 3s and have athleticism. So you just got to be mindful of how to guard them. It's totally different than Serbia."
Daley is set to become the first British diver to compete in five Games, having come out of retirement to compete in Tokyo three years ago.
The four-time Olympic medallist is the defending champion in the men’s 10-metre synchronised diving event and will defend his title alongside team-mate Noah Williams.
Glover won the coxless pairs gold in both London and Rio and has come out of retirement at 38 to compete in her fourth Olympic Games.
“My dad would not have ever believed I would be a flag bearer one day,” Daley said.
“He always considered flag bearers to be Olympic icons and legends. I think he would be so incredibly proud of me being a flag bearer of Team GB.”
An Olympian at the age of 14 in Beijing, Daley won gold alongside Matty Lee in Tokyo to add to three bronze medals he has achieved in individual and synchronised 10-metre events.
“This Olympics is something I would consider to be a bonus Olympics," said Daley.
"This Olympics has been about enjoying it, embracing every moment and taking everything in as much as I can. To be flagbearer too is just the icing on the cake."
Glover will compete in Paris as part of the women’s four.
She became the first mother to row for Great Britain at the Olympics when she finished fourth alongside Polly Swann in the women's pairs in Tokyo four years ago.
“I just love the Olympics and have always loved what it stood for. But I still pinch myself that I am an Olympian, let alone doing something that I just saw as going down in history.
“To be flag bearer for a nation, it’s an honour. You can work hard to become an Olympian but this is bestowed upon me by somebody else who has seen that hard work. That just means so much.”
Together, Daley and Williams won silver in the men's synchronised 10m platform at the Games in the French capital earlier this month.
It marked Daley's fifth Olympic medal, following his gold in the same event alongside Matty Lee at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
Yet Williams believes Daley's impact has been seismic in diving and beyond.
"He is literally an icon of the Olympics for Team GB. He is the one person who has transcended diving in my opinion," he told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.
"He's a massive activist for the gay community; he helps so many communities massively and has inspired so many people to take up not just diving, but sport in general.
"I will miss him in training, but I'm sure everyone will miss him competing and being around."
Daley first made the headlines competing at Beijing 2008 when he was just 14 years old. He came out in 2013 and has since been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.
He returned to competitive diving for Paris 2024 after a two-year break, so his two sons could watch him compete.
For Williams, however, retirement may come much sooner. The 24-year-old won individual bronze in the men's 10m platform in addition to his silver with Daley in Paris.
Despite such success in this cycle, his participation at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 is not guaranteed.
“I'm not sure what I'm going to do, is the truth. I don't want to dive just because I'm good at it, because it does take a lot of mental energy, a big toll on you,” he said.
"I saw a lot of people saying, 'Tom's retiring? But he's only 30', but I don't think they realise that 30 is actually old in the world of diving.
"That's why, when he took two years out after Tokyo, no one was particularly shocked.
"Even though I'm 24, I'm not far off being too old to dive - which seems crazy."
The British-based gymnast had competed for Xelska a few times before, so needing to get some competition in before she jets off to Tokyo, Francis, Jamaica’s lone gymnast for the Olympics, took advantage of the opportunity and helped her team to victory in the six-team competition.
Teams in the Liga Iberdrola or Spanish League can invite an international athlete to join them but that athlete is not allowed to compete in more than three events. However, Francis managed to compete in all four but did not receive a score for the balance beam routine.
Nevertheless, she was glad she was able to test herself in what were trying conditions.
“I did do all the events but I didn’t get a score for the balance beam but it was really good practice,” she told Sportsmax.TV.
“It’s really a fast-paced competition, faster than any competition I’ve done and it was super-hot and it was a good way to test myself at this stage in the game leading into Tokyo.”
She said she felt like she performed well and now has a good idea of where she is a month ahead of the start of the Games.
“My performances were really good. I was extremely happy with my bar routine, I got a really good score there, and then my vault was good,” she said.
“I did make a mistake on (the) beam but as I mentioned, I was only supposed to do three of the events and the beam was a last-minute decision so I was a bit flustered and it was kind of an uncharacteristic mistake so nothing that I can’t fix.
“But I did do my new skill on the beam pretty well so that was good and my floor routine was pretty good. I already knew that I had to work on some stamina there and with the heat, I felt that but I managed to do a good performance and it was a good confidence booster that made me feel like I am on track for where I want to be in the next few weeks.”
Francis is the second female gymnast to represent Jamaica at the Olympic Games following in the footsteps of Toni-Ann Williams, who at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was the first female gymnast to compete for Jamaica at the Olympic Games.
De la Fuente oversaw a record-breaking fourth European Championship crown with victory over England last month, and Spain's youthful Olympic side followed up that success in the French capital.
Sergio Camello came off the bench to score twice in extra time, beating hosts France 5-3 to add the Games' top prize to their glittering trophy cabinet.
De la Fuente, who led the Under-23 side to silver at Tokyo 2020 before taking the senior role, believes Spanish football deserves more credit.
"We are not aware of what we have achieved this year and we do not value Spanish football enough. Let's get rid of our prejudices, really, almost no team can achieve this," De la Fuente told reporters.
"Also the Under-19 team, Under-21 European runners-up last year... Let's give importance to what has been achieved, this is historic, we have lived an epic story that will go down in the history of the Olympics and Spanish sport."
La Roja were losing finalists at Syndey 2000 (versus Cameroon) and Tokyo 2020 (against Brazil), but their victory in Paris sealed a remarkable year for all involved with Spanish football.
Since an iconic Spain team featuring the likes of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique won gold on home soil at Barcelona 1992, La Roja had been reduced to the role of nearly men at the Games.
Yet that has all changed now, and coupled with their success at Euro 2024, an era of Spain dominance appears set to continue in world competition.
She answered that question on Thursday with a post on social media saying, “I think I’ve reached a point where I have nothing to prove to anyone but, at the same time, I think I have a lot to prove to myself.
“There’s a difference when you believe something and you know what you’re capable of or what’s within your reach. You want to make sure that you’re pushing yourself towards it and trying to accomplish it. I think that was me last year, where I just totally forgot about anybody else’s expectation and just focused on what I know I can do.”
The post reiterated sentiments expressed in a recent interview with Athletic Weekly, where she revealed her burning desire to run faster as the driving force behind her relentless pursuit of greatness. She states, "I used to refrain from stating clearly what I want, and I believe I can run faster – that’s really what has kept me here. I believe that with every fibre of my being."
Last year's consistent runs of seven 10.6 seconds showcased her immense potential, but Fraser Pryce firmly believes there is more to achieve. The prospect of dropping her time further propels her forward, as she remains steadfast in her pursuit of perfection.
What truly sets Fraser Pryce apart is her insatiable hunger for something new, something undiscovered. Despite her remarkable accomplishments, she remains excited and enthusiastic about her journey. The Jamaican sprint queen admits, "I wake up every morning and I go to practice and I’m like, 'man, I’m still doing this.' I still feel good, I still feel hungry."
As her career progresses, Fraser Pryce now views her role as an opportunity to inspire and impact the younger generation of athletes. She sees herself as a living example of what can be achieved with unwavering conviction and dedication. "It’s about impact, showing other athletes what you can do if you really have that conviction," she passionately states.
At 36 years old, Fraser Pryce understands that age should not limit her aspirations. She challenges the notion of ageism in sports, expressing frustration that other athletes in different disciplines can continue, while track and field athletes often face premature retirement. As long as she remains healthy, she vows to keep showing up, rewriting the record books along the way.
Fraser Pryce's dedication to her craft is unparalleled, and she is mindful of how she spends her time. Despite being a devoted mother, she prioritizes her training and even delegates cheering duties to her son's father during football matches. She knows that every second counts in her pursuit of greatness.
Surprisingly, after so many years at the pinnacle of the sport, Fraser Pryce remains humble and self-aware, acknowledging that she still has room for improvement.
“I don’t have the best technique. I really have to work hard to cement it. It’s something that I have to go to the line and actively process in my head to say ‘this is what we’re doing, this is what we’re doing Shelly’ so I’m still learning to do that,” she states.
“I think one of the things is learning to do it being relaxed, as well as making sure that it’s automatic, it’s something that I can switch on and switch off if I need to. A lot of that takes concentration and replicating it daily in practice. It must be consistent and I think the more times I’m able to do it is, the easier it will become.”
This, as there has been some disruption to training because of restricted access to training facilities as the United States, goes into lockdown to combat the spread of the virus that has to date claimed more than 7000 lives globally.
The 23-year-old McMaster, the 2018 Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles champion, had a successful indoor season, running personal best times in the 300m and 400m, respectively. But, even as there have been disruptions in the form of meets being postponed or cancelled, the BVI star athlete said he and the other elite athletes in his TRS training group are focused on Tokyo.
“As of right now, we are still training, aiming towards the Olympics. (However) one major difficulty I’m having right now is because we train at a university, the school closes the campus, which forces us to step out of our normal schedule or routine to continue working hard,” said McMaster, who just missed out on a medal at the 2019 World Championships in Doha where when he finished fourth.
The lack of meets, he said, has not shaken his confidence as it relates to his preparation.
“It’s not really an issue because I’m a survivor and whether I only get in one race or two races, coach and I will make sure that when Olympics come we’re ready.”
The 26-year-old Knight-Wisdom, having decided to relocate from his family home, said the going got extremely tough, as all of a sudden, he had to be paying bills which seriously hampered his preparation. “It’s has been challenging because there have been times when I have to be borrowing money from friend and family to get through,” Knight-Wisdom revealed.
“I have been receiving the funding from the Institute of Sports and it is tremendously helpful because the last few years have been very challenging for me. I moved from Leeds to Edinburg, so I left home which meant I have to pay rent, bills and food and paid for more things than when I was at home,” he pointed out.
“The scholarship that I have been receiving plus now this Institute of Sports funding has been really, really helpful and I am grateful to Minister Olivia Grange for providing that for athletes and hope that it is something that will continue, not just in the Olympic year, but in the years in between because those are the years that really count.
“But I am super grateful for it. It has been really helpful. I have been using it for some extra massage treatment and just try to look after my body to get me in a good condition for the Games”.
In 2016, Knight-Wisdom became the first Jamaican diver to qualify for the Olympic Games in fact, the first in the Caribbean.
“I am now starting to find my rhythm again. I went through the tough phase of getting back into training full time and so hopefully I can start building on all the good work I did in Tokyo at the World Cup. I can start improving on the small details going forward to the Games,” said Knight-Wisdom.
The tall Knight-Wisdom who won silver at the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru, said preparation is going well so far.
“It took a little bit of time because of the qualification to get back, recover physically and recover mentally. It was quite a stressful environment and recover from the jetlag before getting back into training.
“This is my second Olympic Games and it’s so incredible to be saying that. I first watched the Olympics in 2004 at the age of 9 and everything that I am doing now is to make that little boy proud. The fact I am going to my second Olympic Games is really fun and I am happy about it,” said Knight-Wisdom.
“I want to improve on what I did five years ago. I want to improve on my semi-final performance. I know I can dive well enough to get into the final, I have to dive well to make that happen, just like everyone else. So that’s what my aim is to make it to the final then we see what happens,” he noted.
“I just want people to enjoy the sport of diving. Watch me and support me and I am so appreciative of all the love and I definitely feel that when I visit the island.
“I want people to enjoy the beauty of diving and the competitiveness and maybe one day we can see more Jamaican divers competing at this level, that would be awesome and I want to do my part and help that happen in Jamaica and the Caribbean,” said Knight-Wisdom.
The world number one made history on Sunday by beating Matteo Berrettini in the Wimbledon final to match Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 grand slam titles.
Djokovic has won all three majors in 2021 and recently suggested he would represent Serbia at this year's Olympics, with the tennis tournament due to begin on July 24.
However, with organisers this week confirming spectators will be banned from attending events in Tokyo amid rising coronavirus cases, Djokovic is unsure if he will travel to Japan.
"My plan was always to go to Olympic Games, but right now I'm a little bit divided," he said after his sixth Wimbledon triumph.
"I also hear that there's going to be a lot of restrictions within the [Athletes'] Village. Possibly you would not be able to see other athletes perform live.
"I can't even have my stringer that is very important part of my team. I can't have a stringer. I'm limited with the amount of people I can take in my team as well.
"It's kind of 50-50 because of what I heard in the last couple days."
Djokovic has competed at the Games on three previous occasions, but unlike Nadal and Federer he has never previously claimed a gold medal, the bronze he won in 2008 being the best the 34-year-old has managed.
Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Roberto Bautista Agut, Denis Shapovalov, Nick Kyrgios, Simona Halep and Serena Williams have previously confirmed they will not play at the Olympics.
Switzerland's Federer, who won gold in the men's doubles in Beijing 13 years ago, has yet to make a decision on his participation.
