Two-time world javelin champion Kelsey-Lee Barber is still set to compete at the, despite testing positive to Covid-19 in transit from the world athletics championships in the US to the Games training camp in the UK.
Between 150 and 200 athletes from Australia’s 430-strong team were expected to march at Thursday night’s opening ceremony, when squash royalty Rachael Grinham will join three-time hockey gold medallist Eddie Ockenden as Australia’s flag bearers. Australia’s team has been split into five locations in Birmingham, in part to mitigate the Covid risk. Organisers had planned a single athletes village but construction was delayed because of Covid-related supply issues.
“Certainly our testing protocols have been really beneficial to catch people who were testing positive seven to 10 days before arriving. And that has really assisted us to manage those people and make sure that they can get here. They might be delayed in some cases but that also minimises the risk to the rest of the team.