FOR 30 months Taree couple Bill and Grace Clinch called Tokyo home.
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Bill, 65, was appointed the cycling discipline manager for the Olympics that were originally scheduled for 2020. However, when COVID-19 upended the world, the games were put back until this year. And when the Olympics finished Clinch stayed on for the Paralympics, where he also had charge of the cycling program.
"We went over there in April 2019,'' Clinch said from Sydney, where he and Grace are in quarantine.
"I came home briefly in 2020 for an anti-doping course that was run by the international federation. But otherwise we stayed over there for the duration.
Clinch has been involved with some of the world's major cycling events since he first became a commissaire back in the 1990s. This included the Sydney 2000 Olympics. However, he told the Times before leaving for Japan he thought his role at Tokyo would be the pinnacle.
Nothing that happened while there has changed his thinking, even though COVID-19 and its repercussions added another layer of work to his already busy schedule.
His was heavily involved in implementing guidelines that had to be strictly followed to counter the virus. The guidelines, called a playbook, covered athletes, officials, volunteer and any contractors employed.
"By the end we had written three versions of the playbook,'' he explained.
His main job centred on the men's and women's road races along with the time trials.
"The route for the road races went through four prefectures, starting in Tokyo and ending at the Fuji International Speedway,'' Clinch said.
"It's only about 120km, but the way the course went it was 234kms for the men's race and 137kms for the women.''
He had to ensure all was in place for both races as far as the number of officials and volunteers needed and where they had to be positioned along the course that started in metropolitan Tokyo before heading to the countryside. Everything was going fairly well in 2020. Then the world changed due to the pandemic.
"I knew they were going to postpone the games, they had no choice with the way the world was at the time,'' Clinch said.
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However, the games remained deeply unpopular in Japan into this year due to concerns about spreading the virus.
"I just had a feeling they wouldn't cancel them,'' Clinch said.
"The Japanese government and the IOC spent a lot of time, effort and money into making sure they went ahead.''
He admits the lack of international visitors made it a bit surreal, with most sports being played in front of largely empty stadiums.
"We only had a few spectators in the speedway for the road races. But there were thousands on the course, it was a bit like the Tour de France,'' Clinch explained.
And in the end there were no major incidents in the cycling events.
"The athletes came, competed and then went home. Those who won went home happy, those who didn't, not so much,'' he said.
He admits adjusting to Japanese life presented a few challenges, at least initially.
"It was much more expensive than we thought it was going to be. There were a few other things, but we got there in the end,'' he said.
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"They don't have lockdowns, as we do here. They're called a State of Emergency - bars and restaurants have to be closed by 8pm and it's compulsory to wear a mask.''
Clinch will be heading home to Taree as soon as quarantine finishes. He's been offered the competition manager's role for next year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, but has knocked it back.
"COVID's going to be with us for a few more years yet,'' he said.
"I just think it will make it too difficult. I was also offered the job as a technical delegate, which is a part-time position. But I think travel is still going to be difficult and it might be that I'm required to be in England to inspect facilities and I just can't get there. Or get home.''
For the same reason he's not thinking too seriously about Paris and the 2024 Olympics. Brisbane 2032? "I think I'll be too old by then. I might be there as a spectator,'' he laughed.
He'll be working with Cycling NSW, where he'll be involved with the State's major races and championships, although this will be in a voluntary capacity.
"I'm looking forward to do more anti-doping work that will involve out of competition testing. That's going to be for all sports,'' he explained.
And he's really looking forward to getting back involved with Manning Cycle Club, where it all started for him as a 12-year-old.
"The club's going really well with the criterium track and the new clubhouse,'' he said, showing he stayed abreast of all things local cycling while he was in Japan.
"Cycling has given me a great lifestyle and opportunities,'' the former house painter said.
"It's a privilege I don't take lightly and it's something that many people only dream about, I owe the sport everything.''