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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
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Five Tokyo 2020 Olympians who have recovered from Covid-19

  • NBA star Kevin Durant is among the many athletes who have contracted the coronavirus but are well enough to compete at the Tokyo Games
  • Karateka Ryo Kiyuna, veteran diver Ken Terauchi, race walker Priyanka Goswami and boxer Simranjit Kaur have also contracted Covid-19

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Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant is one of many Olympians who will travel to Tokyo having recovered from Covid-19. Photo: AFP
Mimosa Ngai

With the Covid-19 pandemic resulting in more than 185 million virus cases around the world, athletes are not immune. Thousands of sportsmen and women have been infected with coronavirus since it emerged as a serious global threat in early 2020, including those heading to Tokyo to compete in this year’s Olympic Games. Here we select five athletes who have tested positive for Covid-19 but have recovered in time to go for glory at the Tokyo Games.

Ryo Kiyuna (Karate)

Japanese karateka Ryo Kiyuna is a heavy favourite for gold at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Getty Images
Japanese karateka Ryo Kiyuna is a heavy favourite for gold at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Getty Images
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Thirty- year-old karateka Ryo Kiyuna is regarded by the domestic media as the Japanese athlete with the greatest chance of winning a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics given the lack of genuine rivals considered good enough to beat him. In December 2020, his teacher Tsuguo Sakumoto revealed to the Japanese press that Kiyuna had a high temperature, though his symptoms were not severe and he had a good appetite. He had tested positive for the coronavirus. He spent his recovery period at home in Okinawa while anyone known to have close contact with him was isolated. He is now fully recovered and looking to add the Olympic gold to his five world championships, Asian Games and World Games titles.

Priyanka Goswami (Race-walking)

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India has never been a traditional power in racewalking and Priyanka Goswam is hoping to change perceptions when she represents her country at the Tokyo Games. However, her hopes were almost dashed when she tested positive for the coronavirus in April just three months before the Olympics were set to open. She was one of five athletes from India’s elite Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The 24-year-old Goswami, whose symptoms were not severe, and the other athletes were immediately isolated in quarantine and have now recovered. She had earned her place in the Olympics by beating the Indian record during the National Open Race Walking Championships in Ranchi in February, clocking one hour, 28 minutes and 45 seconds in the 20-kilometre walk. The previous record was 1:29:54, held by another Tokyo-bound walker Bhawana Jat.

Ken Terauchi (Diving)

Ken Terauchi, seen her at the 2001 world championships in Fukuoka, will be competing in his sixth Olympics at the age of 40. Photo: AP
Ken Terauchi, seen her at the 2001 world championships in Fukuoka, will be competing in his sixth Olympics at the age of 40. Photo: AP

At 40 years old, Ken Terauchi is expected to become the first Japanese diver to compete in six Olympic Games. The veteran diver reported initial symptoms of Covid-19 on July 25, 2020 – one day after the 2020 Tokyo Games were supposed to start before they were postponed until 2021 because of the pandemic. A few days later a test confirmed that he was infected with the diver experiencing fever and unable to experience taste or smell. Despite his vast experience, Terauchi, who has yet to win a medal at the Games, said he still felt anxious knowing another Olympics is around the corner.

Simranjit Kaur (Boxing)

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Some athletes started to pursue an athletic career because of their passions and interests. The 25-year-old Indian boxer, Simranjit Kaur is not one of them. On the contrary, Kaur started boxing to alleviate her family from poverty. However, having since established herself as one of India’s top female boxers, she is now going for Olympic glory. However, she was almost denied that chance when she tested positive for Covid-19 in April, which forced her to give up the chance to compete in the Asian Boxing Championships. Kaur, though, has recovered in time to pursue her Olympic dreams as part of a powerful Indian boxing squad that also includes 2012 London bronze medallist Mary Kom.

Kevin Durant (Basketball)

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