Tokyo Olympics: Ash Barty will not be staying at the athlete village during the Games

Wimbledon champion and one of the favourites for Olympic gold, Ash Barty has decided not to stay in the Olympic athlete village. But why?

Australian tennis star Ash Barty has opted not to stay in the Olympic village, with the Wimbledon winner choosing off-site accommodation.

Australian Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman said Barty, who arrived in Tokyo on Monday, was “staying elsewhere...in an Australian environment.’’

The 25-year-old visited the village first thing on Tuesday morning, greeting the other athletes and lining up for a cup of coffee.

“Ash is staying elsewhere,’’ Chesterman said. “We have a number of athletes who are staying outside the village. We allow that. It’s just what works best for them.

“Driving performance takes a whole range of flexible decisions, flexible options for athletes and it’s what works best for them.

“Clearly for some people it works better being out of the village than in the village.’’

Chesterman said a number of the larger competing nations had high performance athletes who competed on the global stage staying off-site.

He said Barty was staying “within an Australian environment where she can easily access the village.

“First thing she’s done this morning has come into the village, obviously enjoying being around the other Australian Olympians but in terms of her performance plan it’s best served by her being able to control her environment. And we respect that.’’

Australia's tennis player Ashleigh Barty arriving in Tokyo

AUSSIE STARS ARRIVE IN TOKYO

By Selina Steele and Matt McInerney

Australia’s big guns and greatest medal hopes rolled into town Saturday night on a chartered Qantas flight that was delayed for two hours in Cairns.

Swimming superstars Kyle Chalmers, Emma McKeon, Cate Campbell and Ariarne Titmus and joined the likes of arguably the world’s best rower in Alex Hill, water polo captain Rowie Webster and 284 fellow teammates ahead of July 23’s Opening Ceremony.

In preparation for the flight, the Australian Olympic Committee doubled down on PPE as the biggest Australian contingent prepared to enter the village.

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Members of the Australian delegation faced a long wait at Narita International Airport after disembarking. Picture: Charly Triballeau/AFP

After waiting 12 months, athletes from women’s water polo, swimming, hockey, rowing, beach volleyball, table tennis, weightlifting and badminton were forced to wait for a third plane to arrive.

With their initial aircraft unable to cater for their luggage in Brisbane – there was too much, and it wouldn’t safely fit in the plane, a replacement plane was sourced, but it too ran into issues.

It was a case of third-time lucky aircraft or the team, but when they finally emerged on the tarmac at Cairns International Airport.

Australian Deputy Chef de Mission Susie O’Neill, who arrived with the chartered plane, said: “It’s going to be such a different experience for the athletes but I’m just so happy that it’s going ahead”.

Members of the Australian delegation wait before being tested upon arrival at Narita International Airport. Picture: Charly Triballeau/AFP

Watched on by a small pack of supporters, including Swimming Australia patron Gina Rinehart, athletes and officials finally completed the final steps in their departure two hours behind schedule.

Beach volleyballers Damien Schumann and Christopher McHugh weren’t fazed by the delays.

Both only recently punched the ticket to their debut Olympic campaigns, so whether or not a plane was on schedule was the least of their worries.

“It’s been, what, 18 months, then another two and a half hours today in Brisbane,” Schumann said.

“Nothing ever goes to plan, but we’re happy to be on the plane to Tokyo and we couldn’t be more excited.”

As new coronavirus cases surged in Tokyo this week to a six-month high, all athletes and support staff aboard were provided with P2 masks and additional instruction on Covid safety measures.

Australian athletes board their charter flight to Tokyo. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

A member of the Nigerian Tokyo Olympics delegation was the first Olympics visitor to be hospitalised with Covid-19 after testing positive to the virus at the airport.

Friday, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee confirmed the first positive case in the Olympic Village.

The unidentified person, who is listed by organisers only as “Games-concerned personnel” tested positive for the disease Friday and is now quarantining at a hotel.

It is unknown whether the person was vaccinated.

Tokyo remains under a state of emergency as athletes and officials from around the world arrive for the Games.

Webster, captain of the women’s water polo team, said it was hard for Covid to not be front and centre.

Molly Goodman and Luke Fletcher pose for a portrait at Cairns Airport as they head to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic Games. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

“We obviously want to concentrate on putting on our best performance but unfortunately Covid is never far from your mind, especially while in transit and overseas,” she said.

“The (AMD P2) respirators will give us peace of mind to get on with the job without distractions.”

Matt Carroll, chief executive officer of the AOC, added: “Our number one priority is to ensure the safety of our Olympic athletes and officials at the Games in Tokyo.”

Australia has boosted its Tokyo team to 488 athletes, more than in Athens 2004 and the second-largest delegation after Sydney 2000.

The increase, coming from changes to International Olympic Committee rules around replacement athletes, marks the latest adjustment forced by the pandemic.

The IOC changed rules to allow back ups to have full team member status to give the flexibility to substitute athletes who may test positive to Covid or athletes forced into isolation as a close contact.

Our softballers arrived first in Japan in early June and other teams like our footballers also arrived early.

Other athletes from archery, sailing and equestrian dressage arrived in the Olympic Village on Thursday.

The Matildas arrived in the Olympic Village today (July 17) and their Games campaign starts two days before the Opening Ceremony on July 21, against New Zealand.

Originally published as Tokyo Olympics: Ash Barty will not be staying at the athlete village during the Games