Tokyo Olympics 2021: Australian Athletics team put into immediate isolation

Australia’s athletics team has had a scare on Day 6 of the Olympic Games, placed into isolation after an American pole vaulter tested positive.

Australian sprinter Rohan Browning. Picture: Athletics Australia

Pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall, the Australian athlete at the centre of the Covid scare has tested negative and 63 Austalian athletes released from a temporary isolation.

The entire athletics team was put into immediate isolation at lunchtime in Tokyo after American pole vaulter Sam Kendricks, a medal favourite and the two-time reigning world champion, tested positive for Covid.

All 54 athletes and team officials were sent a text message requiring them to return immediately to their hotel rooms under strict Covid protocols.

Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman says the protocols put into place by the AOC ahead of the Games have proved valuable in managing the situation.

“Once again, abundant caution and our strict protocols continue to keep the Team safe. We will continue to be very thorough in our observance of the Tokyo playbooks and our own additional measures.

“We want every Australian athlete to be in a position to have their Olympic moment. We will continue to be vigilant,” Mr Chesterman concluded.

Marschall trained at the same practice facility as Kendricks and while he has been cleared, the authorities are now waiting for negative tests to come back from his close contacts, team coach Paul Burgess and women’s vaulter Nina Kennedy.

It is understood Marschall, Burgess and Kennedy have been taken away from the athletes’ village and will stay away from the rest of the team until they compete.

They will be forced to train at a different off-site facility and undergo ongoing tests leading up to when they begin their campaigns.

Kurtis Marschall has tested negative for Covid. Picture: by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

The qualifying of the men’s pole vault is on Saturday morning while the women’s is on Monday evening.

Kendricks’ father and coach, Scott, posted and then deleted an announcement on Instagram but a short time later the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee confirmed the positive result.

“We are saddened to confirm that Sam Kendricks tested positive for COVID-19 and will not compete in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020,” the USOPC tweeted.

“In alignment with local rules and protocols, he has been transferred to a hotel to be placed in isolation and is being supported by the USATF and USOPC staff.”

Kendricks, the two-time defending World Champion, and 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, is arguably the most significant athlete so far to have tested positive after arriving in Tokyo.

His dad’s post had read: “Today in Tokyo, officials informed Sam that his daily test for (Covid-19) was positive.”

“So he is out of the competition. He feels fine and has no symptoms. Love you son. See you soon.”

Marschall, the 2018 Commonwealth Games champion, is rated an outside medal chance in the event which will be dominated by Sweden’s world record holder Armand ‘Mondo” Duplantis.

While he missed the final in Rio, the WA-based vaulter finished seventh at the 2017 world championships and set his career best of 5.81m in 2019.

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Kendricks, 28, is the reigning world champion and bronze medallist from Rio.

He also won the 2017 world title and in 2019 set a new American record of 6.06m.

The positive test follows the withdrawal of Italian rower Bruno Rosetti from the men’s coxless four on Wednesday, his crew went on to win a bronze medal.