The Summer Olympics in Tokyo have been postponed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Rochester athletes are reacting to the news.

Rochester's Sammy Watson is putting her hopes of competing in Tokyo on hold for a year.

"I'm glad there was a lot of pressure from athletes and the public to postpone the meet and the whole competition because I feel like our safety should be the priority and I'm glad they realize that," Watson said.

Watson was a track star at Rush-Henrietta High School before bursting on the national running scene - winning back-to-back USA Junior Championships in the 800 meters.

Watson then won an NCAA outdoor title while at Texas A&M in 2018 before turning professional last year.

"The experiences that I've gained along the way has aged me well,” Watson said. “I feel more prepared and less nervous. Personally I've put in so much more work than I have in the past in transitioning from college to professional life."

Despite the setback Watson says she's already focused on the Summer Olympics in 2021.

"I'm disappointed I won't get to show what I can do this year but I'm excited to have the time to sharpen my skills for another year and be more prepared,” Watson said.

Watson continues her training in Philadelphia where she's taking classes at Temple.

Wrestler Yianni Diakomihalis just qualified for the Olympic trials but the Hilton native is staying positive.

"You know it's unfortunate. You got to wait another year and been pushed back but I'm still improving,” Diakomihalis said. “I'm still not at my prime yet so kind of the silver lining is it is one more year to get ready and one more year to be better. One more year to be more prepared for when that opportunity comes."

The summer games were scheduled to start July 24.