(Reuters) – Athletes around the world have been finding ways and places to cycle out for the COVID-19 pandemic in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics but perhaps surfers Brisa Hennessy and Michel Bourez have found two of the best.
While some worked out in back-to-back pools or on the ground floor turned into weight rooms, Hennessy and Bourez, both of whom have qualified for the Tokyo Games with COVID delay, fled to paradise.
Hennessy, a self-described nomad from Costa Rica, fled to a tiny island in Fiji while Bourez, who surfs to France, was hiding in Tahiti.
“During the pandemic we were in Australia and my dad is fine, I’m going to arrange a flight that we need out of here we have to go back to Fiji and we have to do it now, ”said Hennessy during her International Surfing Association Olympic Surfing Preparation Group on Thursday.
For Hennessy, the move was an opportunity to rebuild her “mind, body and soul” and surf every day, reminding us why she fell in love with the sport, which was introduced to her at a young age by parents who are both surf instructors.
The 21-year-old Costa Rican believes that many of her fellow surfers will have been washed away by the same wave of energy and will be even more prepared for Tokyo where surfing will be for the first time. They have an Olympic.
“It gave me more value than I can do as an athlete,” Hennessy said. “I believe in athletes coming back and being more talented, more passionate. They are going to be more led. ”
Despite the rare luxury of spending time at home with family, Bourez did not find the same connection and the 35-year-old veteran of Tour Tour was lost.
“It was the first time for the last 15 years now that I spent a whole year at home so for me it was amazing and difficult at the same time,” Bourez said.
“My wife, my two children are at home and it was strange for them to see me every day but I was kind of losing my mind.
“At one time I didn’t know where I was going, there was no passion anymore. I was like, I’m waking up for what? ”
However, the new year brought a new reason.
“The fire is still burning a lot,” Bourez said. “We have been waiting for almost two years now just to be able to compete in the Olympics.
“When on tour I’m basically surfing myself then Tahiti and France and now I’m 100% focused on surfing for France.”
Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto, Edited by Ed Osmond