Record on their mind

Dusseldorf, March 26

Even if it takes an extra year, Nino Salukvadze will still be aiming for an Olympics record. The Georgian shooter has competed at every Olympics since 1988, where she won a gold medal for the Soviet Union. At the Tokyo Olympics — now postponed until 2021 — she will set a women’s record of nine appearances.

Salukvadze is one of a host of Olympics veterans taking the extra year in stride. There’s also 37-year-old American hurdler Lolo Jones, who is hoping to return to the track in Tokyo, and Uzbek gymnast Oksana Chusovitina, who has qualified for her eighth Olympics — breaking her own record in the sport. The 44-year-old Chusovitina has considered retirement before but chose to carry on. This time around, the 1992 gold medalist said Tokyo will be her last Olympics.

Salukvadze hasn’t set a date for retirement, but said each Olympics cycle is tougher than the last. Experience is a strength, though.

“The physical burden is one thing, but the psychological side plays a big role,” she said.

The delay caused by the outbreak may even be a boost to the 51-year-old Salukvadze’s hopes of adding to her career tally of one gold, one silver and one bronze in shooting. She had eye surgery in December and needs time to adapt to the change.

When the Tokyo Olympics happen, Salukvadze will pull ahead of the two other eight-time female Olympians with whom she shares the record.

German-Italian canoeist Josefa Idem retired after the 2012 Olympics and Canadian rowing cox Lesley Thompson-Willie moved into coaching since her last Olympics appearance in 2016. The all-time record holder, male or female, is 73-year-old Canadian show jumper Ian Millar, who competed at 10 Olympics between 1972 and 2012. He retired last year. — AP

Age concern

Six evergreen stars for whom a delayed Tokyo Games might be a step too far:

ROGER FEDERER

The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who will be 40 in August 2021, won Olympics gold when he partnered Stan Wawrinka to the men’s doubles title at the 2008 Games. Federer was a silver medallist in singles in 2012 before injury forced him skip the 2016 Games.

SERENA WILLIAMS

The US great will be 40 in September next year although her desire to play in Tokyo might not be as pressing as that of Federer. Williams already has four Olympics gold medals — singles in 2012 and women’s doubles with sister Venus in 2000, 2008 and 2012.

TIGER WOODS

Woods, who will be 46 in December next year, would have struggled to make the US team for the Games if they had remained in their 2020 slot. He is currently only the sixth-ranked American with just the top four guaranteed to make the squad.

LIN DAN

The colourful and controversial Chinese badminton superstar will be 37 by the time the next Games roll around. Lin already has gold from Beijing in 2008 and London four years later.

ALLYSON FELIX

The only female track and field athlete in history to win six Olympics gold medals, Felix had spent the last two years preparing for a golden farewell at the Tokyo Olympics. Felix, who turns 35 at the end of this year, will be racing against Father Time as she attempts to improve her medal tally in what will be her fifth consecutive Olympics appearance.

JUSTIN GATLIN

Gatlin had planned to retire in 2020 after competing in his fourth Olympics at the age of 38. However the controversial American star now plans to extend his career in order to compete in the rescheduled Tokyo Games. Gatlin, the 2004 Olympics champion, though could face a battle to even qualify given the depth of the US men’s sprinting squad.