TOKYO — The fragile nature of an Olympics during the pandemic came into sharp focus Thursday when the entire Australian track team spent time in a brief quarantine after American pole vaulter Sam Kendricks pulled out of the Tokyo Games because of a positive COVID-19 test.
The news about Kendricks — a two-time world champion and the American record holder — deprived the meet of one of its high-profile athletes, then rippled across the sport, which was scheduled to open less than 24 hours after the announcement.
He was one of dozens of athletes on the training track this week, and Australia announced it had put its entire 54-person team (41 athletes and 13 officials) in isolation and subjected it to testing after three athletes reported having casual contact with Kendricks.