16 March 2020

Olympic rower Thornley says calling off Tokyo Games now due to coronavirus is 'unthinkable'

Olympic silver medallist Victoria Thornley has said it is 'unthinkable' for the Tokyo Games not to go ahead due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 32 year-old took the silver medal in the double sculls at Rio in 2016 alongside Katherine Grainger.

And while Thornley is aware of the health implications that need to be assessed, she also stresses there is still a long time before the Games this summer.

"This Olympics will be the culmination of 13 years of my life and the training I've put in," she said.

"As much as I've been to two other Games, every Games is the most important one at the time so of course it would be unthinkable for the Olympics not to continue and they will do as much as they can to run it.

"And I think there's still quite a long time until then. So I put my trust in the people who organise it and yes, it's the pinnacle of our sport and you get to show the world what you've prepared in the last four years in your biggest performance on the day."

Keep up to date with all the live updates on coronavirus right here as events continue to be postponed, cancelled and held behind closed doors.

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