Tokyo 2020: 'I'm not going to risk my life' - Shooter Sarah Wixey

Sarah Wixey won bronze for Wales in the Women's Trap at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games

Wales and GB shooter Sarah Wixey says she has put aside all hopes of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics until she receives a vaccine against Covid-19.

The 50-year-old Olympian has chronic asthma.

She says contracting coronavirus could be 'very serious' for her.

Wixey competed at the 2004 Olympics for Team GB and has represented Wales at three Commonwealth Games, winning bronze in Gold Coast in 2018.

But despite believing she could earn a quota place for Tokyo, the Olympic trap shooter requested not to be selected for this season's early World Cups.

"Unfortunately my respiratory system is not great," she told BBC Sport Wales. "My lungs are damaged. I've spent a good deal of time in hospital both as a child and as an adult.

"So for me the prospect of contracting Covid-19 is likely to be very serious. It's a scary time."

'I'm not going to risk my life'.

After turning 50 last year, Wixey admits that opportunities to represent her country are 'dwindling'.

Even though she requested not to be selected for the first World Cup events of the season, the prospect of staying at home while her teammates - and her rivals from other countries - do compete is 'difficult to stomach'.

"All I've ever known my competitive life is competing to win," she says. "That's what's always driven me.

"So it's very hard to accept that we have to put it to one side for now.

"I have lots of faith in the vaccine. I do believe that if we can drive on and get as many vulnerable people vaccinated, that's going to be a massive step forward towards normality.

"But for me, without that vaccine there is no question of me going and competing anywhere until I feel I have enough of a level of immunity to not risk my life."

Last week Dick Pound, the longest serving member of the International Olympic Committee, suggested athletes should be high up the priority list for the vaccine.

But Wixey says she will wait until her age group is offered the jab, even if it costs her the chance of making the Games.

"I don't believe athletes should be prioritised ahead of vulnerable people, that's just not right," she continues.

"If I was to get vaccinated in time then I'd be out there doing my damnedest to get that place. Absolutely no question.

"Have I got time? Well, without knowing when the vaccine is coming it's impossible to know. But to get back up to speed when we've had quite such a long lay-off, I don't know whether that's realistic."

The rescheduled Tokyo Olympics are due to begin in less than 200 days.

But questions remain over what form they will take, what role vaccines will play and, perhaps most importantly, whether every athlete will be able to go.