Russian IM’er Ilya Borodin has tested positive for COVID-19 during the team’s final training came in Vladivostok, before departing for Tokyo, and will miss the upcoming Olympic Games.
The positive test was announced by the All-Russia Swimming Federation on Wednesday. The federation did not say if Borodin had been previously vaccinated.
“The team’s specialists followed all of the isolation rules in accordance with the requirements of the (health service). All other athletes, coaches, and specialists have negative coronavirus test results.”
The 18-year old Borodin entered the meet with momentum as the European Champion in the 400 meter IM in May, where his 4:10.02 was a lifetime best. That swim ranks him 6th in the world in 2021 and made him the 7th seed heading into the Olympics.
Borodin, in spite of his young age, is the 16th-best performer of all-time in the event. His swim from the European Championships is the official World Junior Record in the event.
Borodin’s progression, 400 IM:
- 2019: 4:12.95 (13th in the world)
- 2020: 4:11.50 (2nd in the world)
- 2021: 4:10.02 (6th in the world)
Borodin is the Russian Record holder in the 400 IM in both long course meters and short course meters (4:01.91). He was also scheduled to swim the 200 IM, where he was the 20th seed with a 1:58.00.
Borodin joins a growing list of Olympic athletes who have tested positive for COVID-19, though he is the first qualified swimmer announced to be missing the Games because of a positive test.
A Lithuanian swimmer tested positive for COVID-19 upon entry into Japan last week, but two follow-up tests led to the conclusion that the first test was a false-positive result.
Russia is experiencing a 3rd wave of coronavirus cases right now that has the country almost at its peak in terms of daily cases. According to worldometers, the country has had an average of 24,765 daily cases over the last week. That’s just below the country’s peak of around 29,000 cases in December.
Deaths attributed to COVID-19 are at the highest level in Russia of the pandemic. Over the last week, they’ve averaged 755 deaths per day, which is the most they’ve reported throughout the pandemic.
While Russia was the first country in the world to register a COVID-19 vaccine, they report just 45 million doses administered – enough to cover about 15% of the country’s population.
He won’t be contagious by the tone prelims start. Let him isolate in a hotel room and swim his race
Can’t travel to Tokyo while positive and infect others along the way.
how many Olympians were actually in the Olympic “bubble”? it seems the Dutch skateboarder was already in the village? who else?
And almost all of the positives thus far were on athletes that had been vaccinated
Which vaccine? Not all countries vaccines are the same
The russian vaccine in particular has weaknesses
And what is the source of your information?
internet cred’
First my wedding, now my pick ‘ems. F**k you Covid!!
I thought no spectators was wrong but now I understand
Fock
I know swimmers are the most resilient athletes but this is so cruel. And yet there’s no better solution.
I feel horrible. Logic tells us this is just the beginning.