Trinidad and Tobago 200-metre specialist Jereem Richards believes The Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan this year provides his best chance for a medal but worries it won’t happen courtesy of the Coronavirus.

Richards, in the last three years, has become one of T&T’s most notable sprinters, earning a bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships in London, before joining the 4x400-metre team that claimed gold at the same games. He also won the Commonwealth Games 200 metres in 2018, and believes he is rounding into form nicely ahead of the Olympics.

With the announcement that if Coronavirus fears makes hosting the Olympics in July an impossibility, there won’t be a postponement but rather a cancellation, Richards believes his best chance of medaling in his career to date, would have gone.

“I will be very disappointed (if it is cancelled) because I am currently 26 and my next Olympics after this one I will be 30, so this one I think I would have had my best chance to get a medal,” said Richards.

Despite the uncertainty, the importance of this particular Olympics to his career means Richards can’t afford to let up and won’t, whatever the fate of the meet.

“Leading into Tokyo I am still going to prepare the same way I was preparing...if it is cancelled or not, I am still going to work hard the same way and hope for the best. Hopefully the coronavirus is under control and we would be able to go there and perform, but, if not, I would still be in good shape to compete in whatever other meets that is safe for me to attend.”