Local Olympian talks cancellation games

Rose Powell is hoping athletes stay positive as 2020 games are moved to 2021

The 2020 tokyo olympics will take place in 2021 because of coronavirus.

Alabama a&m's volleyball coach is a former olympian, she explains why the international olympic committee made the decision.

Pkg: rose powell describes the 1984 olympics as the time of her life.

"it was the highlight of my athletic career, i had the opportunity to meat people like michael jordan."

Powell won silver with the usa volleyball team in los angeles.

She was looking forward to the 2020 olympics before it was pushed back to 2021 because of the ongoing threat of coronavirus.

"they made the right choice, it's a difficult choice."the best thing to do for the athletes is to slow this curve, not only for the athletes for the whole country, ,so we can get back to normal."

Powell added hanging in the olympic village is the opposite of social distancing.

"everybody is mingling, they're connecting, you're seeing people from other countries that you've met along the way.

You're embracing, you're wishing them well, and so for those reasons too."

But she says it stings knowing some of the athletes may have missed their only shot at competing on the grandest stage in sports.

"because from year to year, athlete's bodies can chance, athlete's mindset can change."

The last time the united states missed an olympic year , was the 1980 summer games because of middle eastern concerns.

Powell remembers that well, but says this situation is different.

And she's excited to see team usa compete in 2021.

"but as this phase, theirs has only been postponed, it has not been cancelled, they still have an opportunity to represent their county and enjoy all the things olympians enjoy."

Looklive: sifting through social media, a lot of olympic athletes are reliefed to have an answer, so they can reset their training cycles for the rest of the year, to prep for the trails for next summer's olympic games.

Reporting in huntsville, lynden blake, waay 31 sports.