Hashimoto Vows To Boost Olympic Athletes
Head of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee Hashimoto Seiko has expressed a determination to ensure that athletes at the upcoming Games feel buoyed up despite the absence of spectators.
A recent surge in the number of coronavirus infections in the Tokyo area has prompted a decision to bar spectators from most of the competitions in the Tokyo Olympics. The Games are to start in two weeks.
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Games, citing the no-spectator decision as a reason.
Hashimoto told a news conference on Friday that athletes enjoy the presence of spectators.
She said some of the athletes taking part in the Games are determined to do their best even without viewers in the stands. Hashimoto went on to say that she hopes those who feel disappointed will nonetheless be able to perform at their usual level of excellence.
She said she is determined to make the Tokyo Games a memorable event in which athletes can overcome challenges and leave their mark on their sport.
Hashimoto appeared in four Winter Olympics as a speed skater. At the 1992 Albertville Games, she became the first Japanese woman to earn a medal in Olympic speed skating by taking the bronze in the 1,500 meters.
She also took part in three consecutive editions of the Summer Olympics as a cyclist. Her seven Olympic appearances are the most by anyone representing Japan.