Olympic swimmers’ pre-Tokyo getaway to Covid-19 exposure spot

A group of Aussie Olympic swimmers have been separated from the main contingent after posting happy snaps from a Covid hot spot.

Olympic swimmers who were on Magnetic Island the same day as a COVID-positive woman will remain separated from the main group of swimmers through the lockdown period, but are considered low-risk.

Mack Horton, Madi Wilson, Tamsin Cook, Kyle Chalmers and Zac Incerti were among the Tokyo-bound athletes who were on the north Queensland holiday spot on Sunday.

A hospital worker who was holidaying there has since tested positive for the highly infections Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus.

A Swimming Australia spokesperson said the athletes are making their way to Cairns today but will remain separated from the main group of coaches and swimmers throughout the lockdown period announced for the region today.

“Members of the Townsville group attended Magnetic Island on Sunday 28th June but are considered low risk contacts and did not attend any high risk locations during their visit,” she said.

A large majority of the southeast Queensland-based athletes and coaches had been relocated to Cairns on Monday night prior to the lockdown announcement.

The swimmers were this month announced as part of the 35-strong swimming team to represent Australia in Tokyo in July.

Wilson on June 27 captioned her holiday happy snaps “an adventure of a Sunday”, the same day a 19-year-old woman from Sandgate in Brisbane’s northeast left the island and travelled through Townsville to Brisbane.

Cook and Incerti were tagged in the photos.

Horton also posted a series of photos from the pre-Tokyo getaway, tagging Chalmers and Incerti.

Mack Horton with Zac Incerti and Kyle Chalmers tagged at Magnetic Island on June 27.

Fellow Olympian Brianna Throssell, also set for Tokyo, on Tuesday posted an Instagram story with Incerti captioned “Cya Townsville” just hours after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the city and Magnetic Island would be included in a three-day lockdown.

Australia’s swim team headed far north Queensland almost as soon as they were picked for Tokyo after the trials in Adelaide earlier in June.

All 35 members of the squad received their second vaccination shots at an Adelaide airport hotel, and then flew straight to training locations in Queensland, before the full team was to assemble in Cairns on July 3.

A handful of swimmers stayed in southeast Queensland but made quick getaways once it became apparent a lockdown was possible.

Bronte Campbell cancelled a planned news conference in Brisbane on Monday to catch an early flight north.

Far north Queensland had already been chosen as one of the central hubs for a range of sports and athletes preparing for the Tokyo Olympics.

Other teams, including the women’s water polo team, left NSW for Queensland even before the state borders shut last week

About 2500 people on Magnetic Island have been urged to get tested regardless of symptoms.