Left to Right: In red and black uniforms, Lucia Morris (L), Akoon Akoon and Michael Machiek with a team of Japanese trainers in Maebashi City. Photo: Tanja Houwerzijl
Akoon Akoon stretches at the track in Maebashi City. He says he came to Japan to win, and expects to medal in the games. Photo: Tanja Houwerzijl
The group arrived in November 2019, at that time only expecting to stay for eight months. Then the pandemic hit and the 2020 Olympics got postponed. The city decided to prolong their sponsorship of the team by an extra year, at least until the Olympics started, allowing them to stay and train. As of this month, they are still there, and the plan is to stay for the games set for July. Even though Japan has managed to endure the pandemic better than other major economies, a cloud of doubt still hangs over the fate of the games despite reassurances from the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government.A high-ranking politician of the biggest political party in Japan recently speculated that cancellation was a real possibility, though he later walked back the comments. No matter what develops, the number of fans will be severely limited.“We ran without shoes. Here we have everything we need, including a race track. In South Sudan, we don’t have hurdles, but here we have them. We don’t have tracks, we train in the mud.”
Lucia Morris (foreground) practices on the track's hurdles. Photo: Tanja Houwerzijl
The team trains with the picturesque Maebashi landscape in the background. Photo: Tanja Houwerzijl
Led by Coach Omirok (left in bowing line), the team observes Japanese customs. Photo: Tanja Houwerzijl