Ed Coughlan: So, how do you peak for an Olympic Games?

Preparation for the Olympics begins shortly after the closing ceremony. So for the vast majority of those arriving in Tokyo over the last fortnight, the planning for this trip has been in the works since August 2016, in Rio.

Simone Biles of the United States during a training session at the Ariake Gymnastics Arena ahead of the Olympics. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

The fact that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is taking place in 2021 tells us all we need to know about the level of disruption that has hit every aspect of these Games. For some, they should have been pushed back for another year. As the migration of thousands of people from so many different countries with such diverse interpretations of how to handle Covid-19 is seen as nothing short of misguided, for a sports event.

For others these next few weeks is the culmination of a life’s work, which under normal circumstances is enough to set the heart racing. However, the last year has seen additional duress of extensive quarantine camps and training in isolation for months.