They started as whispers.
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"Could this coronavirus affect the Olympics?"
As someone who had invested so much time and money to attend the Tokyo Games, the answer was simple.
They'll never call the Olympics off.
"This disease is spreading through Asia. It's in Japan."
It's still early days, we have until July for this thing to blow over. Plus all the experts think it will die out in the northern hemisphere summer.
The whispers grew louder.
"It's in Europe now. The Italians can't control it."
We still have time. The athletes I've spoken to aren't concerned, they think the Olympics are going ahead.
"Rudy Gobert has it. They've suspended the NBA season. All American professional sports are off."
This was the moment everything flipped for me.
Suddenly I had to confront the reality that my trip to the Olympics, that I had been planning since Tokyo was awarded the Games in 2013 was in serious jeopardy.
But still, it's the Olympics. They don't call them off.
"Almost the entirety of Europe is in lockdown. They've shut Australia's borders. Even if the Olympics go ahead, you won't be able to get to Japan."
Just stay positive, we've still got time. The International Olympic Committee won't make a decision until May.
And then it turned.
"The Olympics won't be happening in 2020, the best outcome now is a one-year delay."
The decision I had been dreading, but deep down knew was coming had arrived.
Oh, it's over. I'm not going to the Olympics this year.
For me, the announcement was disappointing, my holiday is off. But ultimately, it was the right decision.
I'm one of the lucky ones. I remain healthy and even if I do contract COVID-19, it's likely it won't hit me hard. I'm relatively safe. While I've had to adapt to working from home, I still have a job. The same can't be said for many others in Australia.
I truly hope I don't have to experience what Italy is currently going through.
While it's upsetting to not have the opportunity to cheer on Australia's, and the Illawarra's, top athletes in Tokyo, it's clear the IOC had only one choice.
Blake Govers summed it up when he described it as "gut-wrenching". But he also recognised certainty was what the athletes needed right now.
The next few months would have been filled with stress and anxiety had the Olympics not been called off.
Now the world can focus on slowing the spread of coronavirus before the athletes turn their attention to preparing for a 2021 Olympics.
As for me?
Hopefully I'll be in Tokyo in a year's time.
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