Dealing with the delay of the Tokyo Olympics

CN&CO is proud to partner with RMB on several PR and comms projects, including the PR for the RMB National Rowing Squad, which the bank sponsors along with other rowing initiatives in the country.

The RMB National Squad has achieved great things in the past few years and were well set for the Olympics.

“Not that long ago Kirtsty McCann and Nicole van Wyk were delivering performances in training that filled them with excitement as the Tokyo Olympics loomed. But then the Covid-19 pandemic hit them with a potential double whammy” writes David Isaacson in an article that was featured in the Sunday Times this weekend.

The RMB National Squad Women’s Lightweight double shared a heartfelt story that many athletes and Olympic hopefuls may identify with.

Kirsten McCann and Nicole van Wyk were in great shape at the start of 2020. Producing their best performances at the Lesotho training camp in early March, just weeks before what was meant to be the final Olympic qualifier. Unfortunately, everything came to a grinding halt as South Africa, along with the rest of the world cancelled regattas and went into lockdown.

In the Sunday Times feature, Kirsten and Nicole shared their views on the Tokyo Olympics, which may be the last opportunity they have to represent South Africa at the Games due to uncertainty about the lightweight category being included in the 2024 Olympics.

This is it! They have put everything into the Tokyo Olympics. Nicole put her studies on hold and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics has been testing, but they are both determined to push the new limits that they had discovered during their last training camp in Lesotho.

Featured article from the Sunday Times - RMB Rowing
Featured article from the Sunday Times

Despite the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games due to the coronavirus, along with all the disruption of the resultant lockdowns, South Africa’s national rowing team – the RMB National Squad – hasn’t slowed down its training regimen. The athletes have remained focused and the national squad coach, Roger Barrow, has use innovative ways to keep their training interesting.

Try get your hands on the July 19th Sunday Times to read the full article written by David Isaacson and follow the teams progress on social media.

You may also enjoy these blogs from the CN&CO website that share stories related to people, rowing, and courage.

RMB presents ‘A Story of Courage’ – on and off the water

A Story of Courage can be viewed on the RMB website (rowing.rmb.co.za) and on Showmax. It will also be screened on a number of SuperSport channels between 13 May and 31 August 2020.

International Olympics Day: SA’s RMB National Squad reflects on its Olympic rowing legacy

Keeping fit during lockdown

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