July 30, (THEWILL) – Australian swimmer, Lani Pallister, has withdrawn from the women’s 1,500 metres freestyle event at the Paris 2024 Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19, the Australian team announced on Tuesday.
The decision to withdraw Pallister from the 1,500m event was made to conserve her energy for the 4x200m freestyle relay, which begins on Thursday. Pallister, who won bronze in the 1,500m freestyle at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, is still scheduled to compete in the 800m freestyle starting Friday.
This setback for the Australian team follows British swimmer Adam Peaty’s positive COVID-19 test on Monday, shortly after he missed out on a third consecutive gold in the men’s 100m breaststroke. The Australian women’s water polo team has also been affected, with multiple players testing positive in the days leading up to the opening ceremony.
Despite these cases, the Paris Olympics are proceeding without the strict COVID-19 protocols that were in place during the Tokyo 2020 Games, where fan attendance was restricted. The 1,500m freestyle heats are set to begin on Tuesday morning at La Defense Arena.
Pallister’s withdrawal highlights the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on elite sports, even as global restrictions have eased. The Australian team will now focus on supporting Pallister’s recovery and preparation for her remaining events.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
