Athletes arrive at Tokyo for Paralympic Games as Japan battles COVID-19 surge

Record ID: 1633432

  • Title: Athletes arrive at Tokyo for Paralympic Games as Japan battles COVID-19 surge
  • Date: 23rd August 2021
  • Summary: PARALYMPIC SHOT PUT ATHLETE, TOM HABSCHEID (BACK, IN CAP) OF LUXEMBOURG, AND HIS COACH (FRONT) ARRIVING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARALYMPIC SHOT PUT ATHLETE, TOM HABSCHEID OF LUXEMBOURG, SAYING: "Yes, of course, it was very hard with the pandemic. And it's very hard to focus on everything - on training and competition. But finally, I'm here. It's good." MEMBERS OF BRITAIN'S PARALYMPIC TEAM ARRIVING / TOKYO 2020 STAFF PUSHING TROLLEYS CARRYING BAGS VARIOUS OF BRITAIN'S PARALYMPIC TEAM WAITING FOR ELEVATOR (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARALYMPIC SHOOTING ATHLETE, MATTHEW SKELHON OF BRITAIN, SAYING: "No, no, no, no concern about the situation, no. I think everything is under control. And I'm just going to concentrate on my competition." TOKYO 2020 STAFF WAITING FOR ATHLETES
  • Embargoed: 6th September 2021 08:59
  • Keywords: COVID-19 Haneda Airport Japan Paralympians Paralympic Games Tokyo Tokyo 2020 Tokyo Paralympics coronavirus pandemic surge
  • Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • City: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA003ERI0QIN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: More Paralympic athletes arrived at Tokyo on Monday (August 23), a day before the Paralympic Games was set to open, even as Japan continues to combat soaring COVID-19 infections.
    Athletes, coaches, and team members from Ireland, Britain, and Luxembourg were greeted warmly by staff and volunteers of the Games upon their arrival at Haneda Airport.
    "I'm really excited to be here. With the postponement, it's been a long wait. And with everything that's going on in the world, it's nice to just come and do something that looks like we're going forward," shooting athlete Phil Eaglesham of Ireland said.
    Planners of the Paralympics, set to run from Tuesday (August 24) until Sept. 5, agreed recently to hold the Games generally without spectators, a measure taken at the recently concluded Olympics.
    Japan's fifth wave of infections, which is being driven by the highly infectious Delta variant, has prompted the government to extend pandemic emergency measures in Tokyo and other regions until Sept. 12.
    (Production: Akira Tomoshige, Rikako Maruyama)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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