Olympia-off for US pole vaulter Kendricks after a positive corona test, Australian athletes in quarantine

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Medal favorite Sam Kendricks will miss the competitions in Tokyo

Photo: Charlie Riedel / AP

The American pole vaulter Sam Kendricks tested positive for Corona at the Olympic Games and has gone into quarantine.

As announced by the Olympic and Paralympic Committee of the United States USOPC via Twitter, Kendricks is in a quarantine hotel.

According to his father, the 28-year-old has no symptoms.

However, the 2019 and 2017 world champion, who won bronze in Rio in 2016, will not take part in the competitions.

Along with world record holder Armand Duplantis from Sweden, he was one of the top favorites for gold in Tokyo.

Further effects on athletics are possible

However, the positive test at Kendricks not only has consequences for the pole vault competitions that start on Saturday.

One day before the start of the athletics competitions at the Olympic Games, the incident causes great concern among the organizers.

Several members of the Australian team were apparently sent into isolation as possible contacts for the time being.

Exact figures have not been confirmed, but according to the newspaper »Sydney Morning Herald« it concerns the complete 63-strong team of the Australians.

The athletes concerned remained in their rooms "as a precautionary measure," the national association said.

The reason was "the report of a corona case to a member of the US team," the Australians did not go into details.

Those affected will now be tested according to the specifications.

In order to be allowed to compete in their competitions after taking this precaution, the protocol states that Olympians must present a negative test six hours before their assignment.

So far, a total of 20 athletes have been infected with the corona virus at the Tokyo Games.

They were given a ten-day quarantine under strict conditions in a hotel.

The German professional cyclist Simon Geschke, who also tested positive, is currently located there.

tip / sid / Reuters