Australia’s first curling Olympians have had their Beijing Winter Games cut short due to COVID-19, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) announced Sunday.
The AOC said curler Tahli Gill contracted Covid prior to the Games with ongoing testing alternating between negative and positive.
Together with teammate Dean Hewitt, Australia were able to play seven matches with Gill managed under close contact protocols.
“Sadly, further successive positive tests have ended their Olympic campaign,” the AOC said in a statement.
The AOC will now work to get the pair back to Australia as soon as possible.
AOC Chef de Mission Geoff Lipshut said he would have “dearly loved” the pair to complete their final matches.
“Tahli and Dean have made Australian Winter Olympic history and there were just two matches left on their programme.
”It’s very disappointing, but we are realistic about the rules and we have always accepted those rules,” Lipshut said.
“They have been absolutely magnificent in the face of difficulty. Four of their seven matches went right down to the wire against the very best of opposition.
“It was a disrupted campaign but a very brave campaign. We are very proud of them.”
It is the first time Australia has fielded Olympic curlers in a non-demonstration event.(dpa/NAN)
