'Big relief' as Olympic sailing champion Hannah Mills prepares to return to water
- Published
Hannah Mills has postponed her retirement in order to compete at the delayed Tokyo Olympics
Olympic champion Hannah Mills says it is "a big relief" to be allowed back on the water with her sailing partner Eilidh McIntyre.
Solo crews in the British Sailing team returned to training earlier this month.
The UK Government's latest guidance on elite sport means crews who do not live together - such as Mills and McIntrye - can share a boat from Monday.
"I'm just really looking forward to getting back out there," said Mills.
"Just for that feeling of being on the water really. It's such a unique, special feeling and this time away really makes you think about just how special it is."
'The new norm'
Off the water, however, things will be very different.
A number of new safety measures have been introduced at British Sailing's Weymouth base because of the coronavirus pandemic.
All athletes and coaches will be screened each day, launch times will be staggered, coaches will keep their distance on and off the water and indoor facilities remain closed.
Mills admits she considered whether now was the right time to return, but she feels all those involved will be able to keep themselves and those around them safe.
"I've been weighing up our sport and how we can train and mitigate the risk," Mills told BBC Sport Wales. "I feel quite confident we can do a really good job.
"We're really lucky that sailing is an outdoor sport so that really helps in terms of us being able to socially distance as much as possible.
"The social distancing thing is a strange new concept for all of us but that's going to be our new norm. We don't want to create a second wave or second peak."
A time of reflection
Having won the women's 470 world title together in 2019, Mills and McIntyre - who last sailed together in March - were among the favourites for Olympic gold in Tokyo this summer.
Cardiff-born Mills was hoping to defend the title she won with Saskia Clark at Rio 2016, while Hampshire's McIntyre was dreaming of a first Olympic appearance.
While it is a relief to be able to start their Olympic build-up again, there is still a lot of uncertainty about the run-in to the re-arranged Games.
"We don't even know when our next regatta's going to be, let alone if we're allowed to go to it," said McIntyre, whose father Michael won Olympic gold in 1988.
Hannah Millas and Eilidh McIntyre will be part of a 15-strong British team at the Tokyo Olympics
"It's so unusual for us not to be able to build our perfect calendar of what we want it to look like.
"Fortunately for us we've always tried to be flexible and that's going to be a really big strength now."
Mills added: "This whole lockdown time has been a real time of reflection to really think how incredibly lucky we are - what an amazing sport we get to be involved with and amazing people we get to spend our time with.
"It's definitely helped me put it all into perspective and look forward to this extra bonus year."