How U.S. Soccer Player Carli Lloyd Is Adjusting Now That the Tokyo Olympics Are Postponed
Tokyo was set to host the Summer Olympics in July 2020 — but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans for the next summer games are up in the air. After a growing number of Olympic athletes and sporting groups called for a delay, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on Tuesday, March 24 that the Olympics will instead be held “by the summer of 2021.”
While Olympic games have been canceled in the past due to World War I and II, this is the first time they’ve been postponed. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Carli Lloyd, who’s competed in the Olympics for the United States women’s soccer team three times since 2008, says while she was looking forward to continuing the run-up to the Tokyo games and she’s disappointed about the change, she’s thankful the Olympics are being delayed, not altogether canceled.
“Our team has been playing very well under our new head coach Vlatko, and I knew we would go into the Olympics prepared and ready,” the 37-year-old tells Allure. “I know Tokyo is going to do an unbelievable job of hosting the Olympics, so to get the opportunity to go a year later, I could not be any happier.”
While Lloyd says her age has been a common topic of conversation — she’s one of the oldest players on the team — she’s not concerned about the one-year delay. Instead, she plans to use the extra time to build her strength and improve her game. “I have proven that at 37 I am still one of the fittest players on the team, so I just need to keep building to get better each and every day,” she says.
U.S. Two-Time Olympian Soccer Player Carli Lloyd on the Olympic Postponement
Getty ImagesSocial distancing due to the pandemic can make it hard to train — many American gyms and workout facilities have been closed for weeks. Athletes like Lloyd are finding a way to stay on top of their game. Lloyd says she has her own social-distancing game plan, which for now will involve training and running on her own.
But she also sees this time as a much-needed mental and physical break from her normal intense routine — like an extended “off season.” Normally, her schedule is full, with training and public appearances from after the New Year until mid-November or December each year.
“It is definitely disappointing to not be able to compete this summer, but I like to try to find the silver lining in every situation,” she says. “We can't change what has happened with this unprecedented pandemic — it is a sad time, what is happening around the world, and we all need to adapt and do our part.”
Between training sessions, Lloyd says she’s taking advantage of all the downtime by spending time at home with her husband. No matter when her team ends up competing in Tokyo, she hopes her hard work inspires and motivates others to achieve their own goals. “All our stories are inspiring, and just by being [at the Olympics] I hope we can inspire people to push themselves to be the best they can be,” she says.
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Originally Appeared on Allure
