"We are one team and working together, we can get through this" - Laureus Academy Member Nadia Coman
Like many people around the world, my family and I are in lockdown in our home in the United States. We were frightened because of the unknown nature of this pandemic, how and when we will come out of this, but we’re hopeful for positive news soon. For the moment, social distancing and being careful is the most important thing.
When this pandemic hit, it was of course a huge shock because we didn’t know too much about Covid-19 and I don’t think anybody expected sport to completely shut down and cancel, but as time passed, we realised how serious this is.
Nothing is more important than the health of the planet and when this is figured out somehow, sport will be back at some point, but for the moment sport is not a priority
For the athletes, I think they probably do better than most in this kind of situation because they create themselves a goal and they create a routine. They have the discipline. It’s almost like you are moving everything you are supposed to do now a little later, everybody has to figure out how they do that in their own watch. The idea of staying fit is most important for everybody.
There’s no doubt that Simone Biles would have made history at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she could have won almost everything this year. I think she’ll be able to stay around for one more year I don’t think it will be physically difficult for her, it’s just that she has to figure out her mental way of thinking of how she will stay you know fit and motivated one more year. That’s assuming that the Olympics will happen next year because we don’t know that either so that’s a question.
We have to wait and see what’s going to happen and what she’s deciding but going one more year, one year is easier than four! Gymnasts don’t think four years ahead, they think one year after another.
Laureus works with programmes operating in difficult circumstances, and this is no different. I still keep in contact with a lot of the things that Laureus is doing to support our programmes around the world at this time. I was on a virtual call with programmes Laureus works with, talking about what we can do at home to stay active and to stay fit and healthy. We are one team and working together, we can get through this.
