Pippa Roome has made it to Tokyo as one of H&H’s team on the ground at the Olympics – she reports on what awaits athletes and everyone else attending the Games on touchdown at the airport…
At some point last night, lying sleepless under an aeroplane blanket somewhere over the edge of the Arctic Circle, I worked out that the Tokyo Olympics is my 10th championship – senior Europeans, World Championships and Olympics – as a journalist.
I was, though, thinking that with some trepidation. Because arriving at Haneda airport this morning with my colleagues Polly Bryan and Peter Nixon to go through the Tokyo Olympics immigration procedures felt like sitting a test that I had been preparing for for months, even years.
Did I have all the right Covid tests? Had I got the right paperwork to prove it? Had I downloaded all the relevant apps to be let into Japan?
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoythe magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access ouronline service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
