Photo of the race venue from our hotel room. We will not enter the venue pretty much until race day. The photo shows beautiful Yokohama harbor with a large cruise ship parked.

The pandemic has changed the lives of all people around the world. For athletes like myself training for the postponed Tokyo Paralympics we are getting the first glimpse of what it looks like to return to competition. The first event to resume the Olympic and Paralympic qualification will be held this coming weekend May 15th in Yokohama, Japan and it has not come without stress and inconvenience for all of us.

I wanted to give fans, supporters and family a little glimpse into what it’s like to compete in our current times. I myself was shocked and overwhelmed by the seemingly never-ending documents and restrictions that changed every day leading up to my departure for Japan. At times I questioned whether I was getting incarcerated or going to compete.

The process all started about a month and a half ago with the standard Call for Nominations in which athletes must submit for selection to be entered on the start list for the event. With this process there are forms and required tasks including Completion of the code of conduct form, Athlete Selection Criteria form, completion of Safe Sport training, Completion of USADA training, an updated athlete performance resume as well as a medical clearance including EKG. These are all protocol prior to the pandemic.

A few weeks later, World Triathlon puts out the start list for the event. This is the moment when things started getting interesting and it was becoming clear that competition would be much different. First, because we were flying to Japan and would not be allowed into the country without special permission, all flights and travel arrangements had to be made through our national governing body. We would have to arrive on the same day and travel together. Once we would land in Japan, we enter the bubble. We have been told that the rules of the bubble are very strict and if you break the rules of the bubble you are immediately put on a plane back to your country and may face prosecution from the Japanese government.

THE DOCUMENTS

Once our flights were booked, the revolving door of change began. Every day, I woke up at 5am in the morning to new emails with updated requirements and documents to fill out. Below is a list of all of the documents that we had to submit and print out. We were instructed that if all of these were not printed out on paper we would not be allowed in to Japan. Regardless of being in the year 2021 where mobile docs and screen shots are the norm, these would be NOT PROHIBITED in the words of WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency).

1. Negative PCR Test Result within 72hrs of flight ot Japan

2. Japanese Negative PCR Test Form

3. Medical Certificate of Negative Test (signed by MD after Neg PCR but still prior to flight)

4. Japanese Visa with visit to Japanese Consulate

5. Japanese Online Entry Form with QR Code for Entry

6. Event Description Document

7. Japanese Pledge

8. Trip Itinerary Document

9. Team Staff and Athlete List

10. Activities Schedule

11. World Triathlon Event Covid Screening Form

A few things to note about the above documents. Many of these things were not difficult by themselves but rather their timing. The required info to get the VISA was given about a week before departure and this meant getting ahold of our nearest Japanese Consulate, filling out more forms and waiting for them to get back to me with a scheduled time for an in-person meeting. Luckily, there is a Japanese Consulate in Seattle, so this meant that travel wasn’t more than an hour away, but the consulate is only open 2-3 hours each weekday and of course one of the available days was a Japanese holiday.

Another conundrum arose when trying to get the PCR test and MD certificate. The fact that we had to all fly out on a Monday meant that the 72hours leading up to the flight would fall on a weekend. My flight from Seattle to San Francisco departed at 7:20am Monday May 10th but my flight to Japan departed at 11:40am. This meant that my PCR test could not be taken before 11:40am on Friday May 7th and most all Covid testing facilities state 1-3 days for a PCR test result. In my head I was thinking, “I don’t have 1-3 days to get the result.” In order to get in and see a doctor I would basically have to have the result no later than 2pm on Saturday as no general MD office is open on Sunday and my flight out on Monday was too early. I contemplated scheduling two PCR test, but this became too difficult to try and arrange babysitter coverage and/or transportation all while still working my physical therapy job on that Saturday as well.

This dilemma became almost too much to handle when I also had two little toddler children screaming and/or pouring sanitizer on the head of the other. If you are second guessing whether you read that correctly, you probably did read correctly. At one point while I was downstairs at my desk filling out documents my two little ones were playing upstairs. After a bit, I heard them laughing at the top of the stairs. When I went to check on what they were up to, I discovered hand sanitizer dripping down our youngest Tut’s head. Our oldest, Kennan, had a large hand sanitizer bottle and was dumping on his brother. Immediately the nightmare of the sanitizer getting his eyes went through my head and I took my shirt off and put it over his eyes to ensure none would drip into his face and eyes.

Lastly, some additional comments regarding the required documents. I found it to be quite interesting that the pledge that we were to print off was completely in Japanese. There was no way I was going to sign a pledge of another country prior to having an interpreter or a copy in English. For all I know I could be signing away all my rights and possessions, which seemed quite possible given the stipulations of this “bubble” I would be entering.

THE BUBBLE

Once we arrived in Japan, we would be entering a “bubble” that would separate us, “The athletes” from the rest of mainstream Japan. The arrangements of the bubble were ever changing and required an in-depth written guide as well as online webinar to explain its details. This is when I really began to question whether I was traveling for incarceration or competition.

Athlete guide instructions and flow chart of process of entry into Japan.

Upon arrival to the Tokyo Narita Airport, we would be required to have 3 mobile apps installed on our phone: Google Maps for location tracking, COCOA online contract tracing app and OEL (Overseas Entrance Locator). These apps would give the ability to track our location and whether we came in close contact with anyone else that had recently tested positive for Covid 19. I understand the purpose to limit the potential transmission of the virus into mainstream Japan, but it seemed almost like an ankle tether bracelet.

Photo of the breakfast food that would be delivered to our rooms. Despited is a square container with a section containing-a quiche wedge as well as other sections containing broccoli and mashed potatoes and then a large scoop of rice.

Before leaving the airport in Tokyo we would have to go through rigorous Covid screening protocols including an additional PCR test and until our number was called to enter the “You May Enter” doors we would be sitting in a designated waiting area. We were advised that the screening and test results may take up to 4hrs, so we were in no rush. From the airport, we would have special shuttle buses that would take us along with our bikes and luggage to the designated hotel where we would spend the majority of the next 5 days in our room. All meals would be delivered to our room, and we would only leave our rooms for specific training sessions in which we were escorted by event staff. There would be no stops at the local store for snacks or definitely no souvenir shopping.

Bike training in the bubble. Our tandem is placed on a Wahoo KICKR in a parking garage four floors below the hotel lobby.

Each day in the bubble we would be given one hour to train on our bike trainer in a parking garage under our hotel and if we choose could take a shuttle to a pool that was 45minutes away for a 30–45-minute swim. Additionally, we would get Covid tested by PCR tested two more times in addition to the airport test while in Japan and masks were required at all times besides in our individual rooms and during competition.

Unlike pre pandemic competition, there would be no previewing of the bike or run courses so there would be an advantage to those that had done this race in the past as they would have familiarized themselves with the course and have some memory. There would however be a swim familiarization on Friday the day before the race in which we would be able to get in the harbor and do the swim course one time. This is definitely beneficial to the blind/VI athletes as knowing the general shape of the swim course and how sharp the turns are is very beneficial come race day when you cannot see them and are trying to stay in sync with youBir guide.

THE CONSENSUS:

Although all of this seems crazy and probably a bit overboard, I think the overall consensus among my teammates and myself is that at the present time it is how it is and we are just happy to be given the opportunity to compete. After all, we do have a world pandemic that is still raging in some areas of the world and many parts of the world do not have access to the medicine and vaccines that we do in the United States. We are also traveling into another country, and we must respect their diligence and protocols for preventing transmission. In the end, WE ARE TEAM USA and we will represent our country proud no matter the circumstances!

The Return to Competition is Looking Way Different