#5 Seed Lani Pallister Withdraws from the 1500 Heats, Tests Positive for COVID-19

2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

The #5 seed in the Women’s 1500, Lani Pallister, showed heat 3 of the event prelims this morning. The Australian reportedly has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating in the Olympic village.


Reportedly Pallister was on deck this morning to warm-up for the 1500, where she was a medal contender, but opted to withdraw from the race and subsequently test positive.

Pallister is not the only swimmer to have contracted COVID. The morning after Adam Peaty won the silver in the Men’s 100 breaststroke, the British star tested positive for COVID.  In their release, Team GB stated,

Adam Peaty began feeling unwell on Sunday, ahead of his Men’s 100 breaststroke final. In the hours after the final, his symptoms became worse, and he was tested for COVID early on Monday morning. He tested positive at that point,”

This is not the first case of COVID for Australian Athletes in the village at the Paris Games as  had five members of their women’s water polo team tested positive last week, before the Games commenced.

Like Peaty, Pallister and the Australian team are hoping for a swift recovery and cessation of symptoms so that Pallister can participate in the Aussies’ 4×200 free relay. Before the start of the Olympics, Pallister had withdrawn from the 400 free to concentrate on the relay and these longer races.

This is not the first time that Pallister has been effected by COVID at a major international meet. In 2022 at Worlds in Budapest, the Australian has to withdraw from the finals of the 800 free, where she was the #2 seed.

If we hear more or if SwimAustralia releases a statement, we will update the article.

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Oceanian
3 months ago

I should have realised there would be some crazy and pathetic comments in here.

Yes – hi Kriistina…

GoBulls
3 months ago

If you put all that effort into training for the Olympics why not just mask up to lower your chances of catching something?

Dan
Reply to  GoBulls
3 months ago

You saw several athletes at the Tour de France use masks this year and a few of the 176 athletes were sent home due to covid (difficult to do a 21 day bike race when you are sick or injured).

Thomas The Tank Engine
Reply to  GoBulls
3 months ago

The Australian swimmers were photographed wearing masks few weeks ago, and people made fun of them. Pretty sure they’re wearing mask outside competition.

Breezeway
3 months ago

Distributing all those prophylactics gave people a false sense of security

Ricky Bobby.
Reply to  Breezeway
3 months ago

You dont breathe through a condom. Kind of the point.

MarkB
Reply to  Ricky Bobby.
3 months ago

Yes, but depending on your preference, you could be face to face while using one!

Kristiina
3 months ago

I got several post traumatic stress caused covid restrictions. I hate elderly covid terrorists, masks. Covid is over and now regular cold illness. You can not race but no danger. Elderly must stay home and vaccination. I have long covid 6 month but I not healthly and I want ban mask mandates. Now is my long covid is nearly over. I am unvaccinated in 30s but not healthly. Athletes not get long covid now.

cow from china
Reply to  Kristiina
3 months ago

Bro what

FST
Reply to  Kristiina
3 months ago

Huh?

Random
Reply to  Kristiina
3 months ago

Athletes DO get long COVID. Literally ruined my career lol.

Ricky Bobby.
Reply to  Kristiina
3 months ago

Who let the MAGA anti-science nut on this thread?!

OldNotDead
Reply to  Kristiina
3 months ago

So, doing shots of bleach must have helped you avoid the worst that Covid has to offer……

Kristiina
3 months ago

Please not speak covid. Please speak illness just like before 2019

Skip
Reply to  Kristiina
3 months ago

Happy to send you a teaspoon of cement

Swimfan88
3 months ago

Can she even compete on Thursday? Isn’t protocol isolating for 5 days?

Beachmouse
Reply to  Swimfan88
3 months ago

There is no covid protocol- athletes are free to compete while sick if they feel up to it. However, a hard 1500 while sick is probably not going to result in a fast enough time to medal and going too hard while at peak covid can mess you up for a while afterwards (see cyclist Sepp Kuss having to withdraw from the Tor de France because he tried to ride through a smaller race with covid) so I suspect that by scratching here, she’s hoping that she’ll feel better enough by Thursday that she can swim. And a 200 is short enough it’s probably no going to impact recovery from illness.

Note to American athletes- no hugging the Aussie swimmers… Read more »

Willswim
3 months ago

Hypothetically, what would happen if a relay only swimmer tested positive for Covid and had to withdraw before their swim? Isn’t there a rule that relay only swimmers have to swim at some point or else the entire relay is DQ’d?

MDE
Reply to  Willswim
3 months ago

I’d imagine that a medical withdrawal would be accepted on a case by case basis.

Barty’s Bakery
Reply to  Willswim
3 months ago

There’s an exemption for medical reasons. Obviously Covid would exempt you

The Real AJC
Reply to  Willswim
3 months ago

Hopefully she can still swim the 800 if not the relay.

Last edited 3 months ago by The Real AJC
Katie
Reply to  Willswim
3 months ago

As others noted, there’s a medical exemption as well as “exceptional circumstances” which can cover disciplinary reasons if someone is sent home or something like that.

David Kellam
3 months ago

A shame she dropped the 400 in hindsight too. Let’s hope she recovers for the 4×2. If not, will they swim Arnie/Mollie or risk putting Olivia (1:57.84 at Trials) or Meg (1:56.93 at Trials and 1:56.29 in 2021) in the Heats?

Last edited 3 months ago by David Kellam
Emily Se-Bom Lee
Reply to  David Kellam
3 months ago

harris is the better option, faster pb and had a good 100 split