Games Briefs : Guinea backs out due to virus fears

Guinea backs out due to virus fears

Guinea cancelled its participation in the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday due to the Covid-19 pandemic, its sports minister announced.

However, a source close to the government said that the decision not to send the five-person team was because of financial constraints instead.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE


McKeown focuses on backstroke push

Australian swim sensation Kaylee McKeown has dropped the 200m individual medley at the Tokyo Olympics to focus on the backstroke and potential world records, team officials said yesterday.

The 20-year-old, who smashed American Regan Smith's 100m backstroke record last month, boasts the fastest medley time this year. But she concluded the schedule would be too taxing, and she will race in the 100m and 200m backstroke and the 4x100m mixed relay.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE


Russia's Borodin tests positive

Swimmer Ilya Borodin will miss the Olympics after testing positive for Covid-19, the Russian Swimming Federation said on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old, the men's 400m individual medley European champion, tested positive during a training camp in Vladivostok before departing for Japan. All other athletes returned negative tests.

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 23, 2021, with the headline Games Briefs : Guinea backs out due to virus fears. Subscribe