Home Sports Olympians become trainers to help those stranded at home | Sports

Olympians become trainers to help those stranded at home | Sports

0
Olympians become trainers to help those stranded at home | Sports

DÜSSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Moving from the track to the living room, many athletes around the world are doing their bit to boost public health during the coronavirus pandemic.

There’s been an explosion of athletes offering free online fitness classes and tips to an audience isolated at home.

It helps others keep fit, and especially for sports like track and field, it’s a way to stay relevant in a year without the Olympics.

“The onus is all now on the parents and for kids you’re stuck in whatever space you’ve got at home,” former marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe, who is preparing an upcoming online class for World Athletics, told The Associated Press.

Besides Radcliffe, other Olympic athletes involved include two-time 100-meter champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica, who is reading her children’s book, and 2012 100 hurdles champion Sally Pearson of Australia, leading a prenatal workout class.

The trend spans sports and countries.

England cricket player Jos Buttler has been demonstrating pilates exercises on Instagram with his wife Louise, a professional trainer.

Sometimes he’s even done it in full gear, with helmet, pads and bat.

In Germany, world long jump champion Malaika Mihambo led an after-school sports club for young children. Now she’s taken it online, with daily German-language YouTube workouts packed with motivational chat for the kids she calls her “world champions.”

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.