In October 2019, Japan’s national team wrapped up its first-ever training camp at the newly-constructed Yunomaru Kogen Sports Exchange.
Located in Tomi City, Nagato Prefecture, the estimated $11 million complex is positioned at an elevation of 1750 meters (~5741 feet) on the Yunomaru highlands, giving Japan’s aquatic athletes a reason to not have to make their usual trek to places like Arizona, Spain or Mexico to grind out their high-altitude volume.
With training hubs such as Japan’s National Training Center now closed due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, the national swimming team is trying to arrange for another camp in Yunomaru for the end of this month. The camp was originally set to start on April 18th, but has been pushed to April 24th and will continue to be postponed if the infection spreads to Nagano Prefecture.
As we reported earlier this week, two-time world champion from Gwangju, Daiya Seto, said he hasn’t been ‘training at all these days’ due to the coronavirus. The 24-year-old stated, “honestly, I’m still struggling to pick up the pieces and regroup” from the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) official decision to postpone the Oly pic Games until 2021.
We’ll keep tabs on whether or not the altitude training camp actually comes to fruition. In the meantime, you can read about what we were hoping to see at the now-cancelled Japanese Olympic Trials (Japan Swim) here.
Japan is a place where territorial imperative does not exist. The per capita density lends itself to massive viral spread. Highly doubt – BUT HOPEFULL – this camp will come to fruition. The same for Tokyo 2021.