Though disappointed that the Olympics has been postponed for another year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Janathan 'Musfasa' Hanson says he refuses to be put off by the setbacks brought on by the nightmarish situation.
The 30-year-old middleweight boxer was in preparation for upcoming Olympic qualifiers when news of the postponement came. Reality hit him hard.
“I was in the process of qualifying. The qualifying tournament, which was in Argentina, was to run from March 26- April 8. It was postponed and a week later, cancelled. All the remaining Olympic boxing qualifying tournaments have also been suspended until who knows when,” he told Sportsmax.TV.
“This is a huge disappointment. Like myself, a lot of athletes have been preparing for the last three-to-four years only to be hit with this postponement. “For some it's simple, but for those that have sacrificed for the last three years it's different.”
The development, he said, has forced him to change strategies in order to adapt to the new paradigm. “Like most athletes, I had to go back to the drawing board and reassess my preparation with another year to go. However, this may be a great opportunity,” he said.
“This year I've had the privilege to be sponsored by Spartan Gym and Mark Miller from MonkFit. I also have partnered with a new boxing coach, Nathan Boothe, from England. This additional year will allow me the time to cement my preparation. If I wasn't prepared before with this new team behind me, I'll definitely be prepared by then.”
In the meantime, he is hopeful that the Jamaica Boxing Board can get some meaningful fights for him and other Jamaican boxers once the situation allows.
“I've beaten Panama's middleweight and light heavy boxers but, to be truly prepared for the world biggest sporting event, the entire Jamaican boxing team needs more exposure. The Panama event was great, however, we need more fights against different opponents to sharpen our skills,” he said.
Sharpening those skills have also become more challenging with the increasing restrictions being imposed by the government as it seeks to flatten the curve with regards to the spread of the virus. However, he is ready to overcome the challenges that lie before him.
“This pandemic has been a shot to the heart for all sporting events. It has crippled my training and preparation. With all gyms closed and the curfew, it has become hard if not nearly impossible to train,” he said.
“However, I'm extremely determined not to allow this pandemic to divert me from my goal. I still train six times a week because from every disappointment comes an opportunity and when that opportunity comes I won't be caught off guard.”