Australia’s track and field team has reportedly been forced into a COVID lockdown in the Olympics Village.
The Australian athletes reportedly received a message while many were training at the Olympic Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
Team organisers have confirmed the Australians are in isolation as a “precautionary measure”.
It came after American pole vaulter Sam Kendricks was booted from the Games on Thursday after testing positive to the virus. He is reported to have been training with Australian Kurtis Marschall, who is the reigning Commonwealth pole vault champion.
“Members of the Australian track and field team are undergoing testing procedures in line with Australian team protocols,” the Australian team email said.
Kendricks, the bronze medallist at the 2016 Games, was banned from competing in Tokyo after his positive test. Kendricks’ father posted on social media that his son had no symptoms but was informed that he was out of the competition.
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee confirmed the news.
“In alignment with local rules and protocols, he has been transferred to a hotel to be placed in isolation,” the US Olympic Committee said.
“Sam is an incredible and accomplished member of Team USA and his presence will be missed.”
The track and field program gets underway in Tokyo on Friday morning, with the opening round of the men’s pole vault scheduled for Saturday.
Kendricks, 28, took pole-vaulting gold at the last two world championships. His battle with world record-holder Mondo Duplantis of Sweden was expected to have been one of the highlights of the track and field program in Tokyo.
Earlier on Thursday, Olympics organisers announced 24 new coronavirus cases related to the Tokyo Games in their daily report.
It is the highest daily increase of cases linked to the Games since organisers began reporting cases on July 1.
A total of 20 athletes have been infected so far.
The latest numbers bring the total number of positive tests linked to the Olympics to 193.
Japan’s capital is under a state of emergency for the duration of the Games, and Olympic competition takes place behind closed doors at all local venues.
Track and field events begin in Tokyo on Friday morning.
–with AAP
