NATHAN Douglas has not given up on competing in 2020 just yet.
Although the Olympic Games and European Athletics Championships have been wiped from the calendar by the coronavirus pandemic, there is still one big event left standing.
The British Championships were moved back to August after the decision to postpone the Tokyo Games until 2021.
As things stand the meeting in Manchester remains something to work towards for the Oxford City triple jumper.
Douglas said: “I’ll see what happens with our environment, but at this moment you’ve still got May, June and July to go before the British Championships, so it gives you a chance to still be a bit chilled with it.
“I’ll look at it because I think it would be great to compete for the sake of it, because it might be the only event you get this year.
“I think all athletes are really doing is keeping themselves as fit as they can and just doing bits and pieces here and there.
“I’m pretty much the same.”
The sudden loss of a huge chunk of the outdoor season had the potential to be catastrophic financially for athletes, like Douglas, who are not on National Lottery funding.
Fortunately, the 37-year-old had already spent some time building up a second career with an eye on what happens after he retires from competition.
Douglas works one-on-one with clients focusing on improving their performance, whatever the level.
But it is his role working with companies on how to improve the health and wellbeing of their staff which has really come in useful during lockdown.
The two-time Olympian has been able to increase the amount of time he spends on that side of his life, hosting seminars remotely.
He said: “That might be dealing with anxiety and stress, nutrition or the constant background feeling of being overwhelmed.
“Having this background as a performance coach I look at every adversity and see how we can spin it to something positive.
“It’s nice to be able to help, because I am very concerned that people will be struggling with their mental and physical health at this time more than ever.
“It’s helpful for me too.
“It definitely takes my mind off other factors, like there’s no Olympic Games or European Championships this year to aim for.
“That’s hugely disappointing, but luckily for me I do have other things going on in my life which gives me another focus.”
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