Leslie MazochJune 01, 2020Matias DelacroixComment

Olympic dreams for locked-down Venezuela athletes

Leslie MazochJune 01, 2020Matias DelacroixComment

Stefany Hernández zips on her bike across a vast, empty boulevard in Venezuela's capital, getting in training where she can find it.

A 2015 world champion bike motocross racer, she's trying to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics, now delayed until next year, while coping with restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The BMX paths are all closed, so the largely vacant streets will have to do.

To get at least a glimpse of the mountains, she wrestles her bike through a window onto a flat rooftop and practices maneuvers there.

Venezuelan Olympic medalist Stefany Hernandez, a BMX racing cyclist, returns her bike to her home after training on her roof, where she enjoys the view and perform certain moves that she cannot do on the uneven pavement, in Caracas, Venezuela, Satur… — Venezuelan Olympic medalist Stefany Hernandez, a BMX racing cyclist, returns her bike to her home after training on her roof, where she enjoys the view and perform certain moves that she cannot do on the uneven pavement, in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, April 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan Olympic medalist Stefany Hernandez, a BMX racing cyclist, shows her Olympic rings tattoo, a reference to her competing at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, May 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan Olympic medalist Stefany Hernandez, a BMX racing cyclist, puts on a face mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic before training in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, April 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan Olympic medalist Stefany Hernandez, a BMX racing cyclist, rides across an empty Bolivar Avenue amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, April 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan Olympic medalist Stefany Hernandez, a BMX racing cyclist, reacts to pain during a muscle relaxation session with her physical therapist at her home in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, May 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan Olympic medalist Stefany Hernandez, a BMX racing cyclist, receives electro-stimulation pads on her back during a muscle relaxation session with her physical therapist at her home in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, May 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Mati… — Venezuelan Olympic medalist Stefany Hernandez, a BMX racing cyclist, receives electro-stimulation pads on her back during a muscle relaxation session with her physical therapist at her home in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, May 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

The delayed competition has one benefit: helping her recover from a foot injury. A personal trainer comes to her duplex to help with treatments that relax some of her muscles and build elasticity and strength in others. Hernández, 28, has already been to two Olympics, winning bronze in Brazil in 2016.

Elsewhere in Caracas, other athletes have Olympic dreams — and perhaps their only chance at a medal. A two-time world champion in karate, 39-year-old Antonio Díaz-year-old delayed retirement for a crack at the Tokyo Games, which will include karate as a one-time added sport. It's not usually part of the Olympic program.

Díaz had to shut down the commercial dojo he owns. He trained at the vacant dojo for a while, but the country's gasoline shortage has led him to do more practice at home — where he can be with his wife and child, who was born in August.

“It's allowed me to be with my baby all day,” Díaz said.

Venezuelan karateka athlete Antonio Diaz, a two-time world champion, trains alone in his studio, where he also taught before the lockdown, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan karateka athlete Antonio Diaz, a two-time world champion, ties his black belt before training in his dojo, where he also taught before the lockdown, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan karateka athlete Antonio Diaz, a two-time world champion, prepares to train alone in his dojo, where he also taught before the lockdown, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan karateka athlete Antonio Diaz, a two-time world champion, checks his cell phone in his dojo, where he also taught before the lockdown, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, April 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Andrés Madera, a gold medalist at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, last year, is also shooting for a spot on the karate team in Tokyo.

“It will be the first and perhaps the last time” karate will be on the program," said Madera, who manages to give some classes by video link over the internet.

"We all want to be in Tokyo. It's a dream come true.“