Hello, I'm Nula McGavran on the BBC World Service, and this is BBC OS conversations, the Tokyo Olympics.

We're going to bring together a range of people. Two Olympians will share their

journeys to Japan. Residents in Tokyo will discuss their hopes and fears for

the games, plus as over 90 accredited people test positive for the

virus, we'll hear from volunteers with second thoughts about working at the Olympics.

I received all my uniform and accreditation card and everything and at that time I was really kind

of excited but now back to reality I want to be excited but at what cost.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics is now underway. It was postponed due to the pandemic and the decision to hold it as divided opinion in

Japan itself and also across the globe.

Two weeks before the start of the games, the government declared a state of emergency in

the capital due to the rising number of COVID cases. Spectators are largely banned,

but for those taking part in the world's biggest sporting event they'll be trying

to put aside any concerns and focus on bringing back a medal for their country.

To find out how two competitors are coping during these uncertain times,

I spoke to US-born teenager, an athlete Joseph or Joe Fambule. He is about to take part in his first Olympics,

along with 66-year-old Mary Hanna, who together with her horse is part of Australia's dressage team.

She began by describing her sport.

We're a kind of a jumping nation in Australia, you know, out on the farm and running up the

stock and the cattle.

So we're kind of more like rough riders.

So it's more of a classical sport.

And it was developed with the military as movements to He can move

...