Lithuanian Swimmer Cleared of False Positive COVID Test in Japan

A Lithuanian swimmer had a COVID-19 scare upon arrival in Tokyo last week ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games, initially testing positive for the virus that has spun the world into a pandemic over the last 18 months. Multiple follow-up tests, however, came back negative, leading to the conclusion of a false positive on the first test.

The positive test was reported by the city of Hiratsuka in Kanagawa Prefecture after the Lithuanian team arrived for a pre-meet training camp. The athlete was not named, but was identified as a “male swimmer in his 30s.” The Lithuanian Olympic Team only has one male swimmer in his 30s on the roster, breaststroker Giedrius Titenis.

An initial PCR test on July 9 came back positive, but a second test came up negative. After a third test on Saturday, he was determined to be negative.

This is due to be the 31-year old Titenis’ 4th Olympic Games. In 2012, he finished 8th in the 100 breaststroke, he became the second Lithuanian swimmer ever to reach an Olympic final after Vytautas Janušaitis did so in 2004.

The Lithuanian team will include 6 athletes: 5 men and 1 woman. The country has qualified to swim the men’s 400 medley relay, and their best medal hope is Danas Rapsys, who is the #1 seed in the 200 free and #4 seed in the 400 free,

• Andrius Sidlauskas – Men’s 100/200 breaststroke
• Giedrius Titenis – Men’s 100 breaststroke
• Danas Rapsys – Men’s 200/400 freestyle, 200 IM
• Kotryna Teterevkova – Women’s 100/200 breaststroke
• Deividas Margevicius – Men’s 100 butterfly (relay only)
• Simonas Bilis – Men’s 100 freestyle (relay only)

More positive tests among athletes

While no swimmers have been announced as confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 yet, more Olympic athletes from other sports have tested positive as of Wednesday night in Japan.

British skeet shooter Amber Hill, the #1 ranked woman in the world, tested positive and is out of the Olympics. The 23-year old has no symptoms. Dutch skateboarder Candy Jacobs announced her positive test on social media, saying she is also being forced out of the Olympics by a positive test on Wednesday morning.

Skateboarding is making its Olympic debut in Tokyo this summer. Jacobs was the European Championships silver medalist in the women’s street event in 2018.

She becomes the first athlete to break the news of her own positive test at the Games.

The Czech team has been hit by its 4th positive test after table tennis player Pavel Širuček tested positive and will not be able to compete. Beach volleyball player Ondřej Perušič tested positive earlier this week along with two staff members. Multiple other members of the team who have come into contact with those individuals are awaiting results of re-tests.

Neither Czech athlete was expected to contend for medals.