Not a single case of coronavirus among Team Belgium’s ranks during the Tokyo games
As well as winning no fewer than 7 medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo there is more positive news about Team Belgium as not a single Belgian athlete tested positive for coronavirus during their stay in the Japanese capital. COVID-19 hung like a dark cloud above this year’s Olympics and like everyone else present in Tokyo Team Belgium feared that one or more of its members might become infected. A positive coronavirus test would spell the end of an athlete’s Olympic dream.
Prior to the games the Jelle Geens tested positive and was unable to Tokyo to compete in the triathlon on 26 July. However, he was able to depart in time to compete in the mixed relay on 31 July. He, Claire Michel, Marten Van Riel and Valerie Barthelemy came in 5th in the mixed relay race.
The Olympic heptathlon gold medallist Nafi Thiam’s coach Roger Lespagnard fell foul of a false negative saliva test. A PCR test taken afterwards found him to be negative. Nevertheless, this did mean that he missed day two of the heptathlon in which Nafi Thiam competed in two events. His absence didn’t prevent Thiam taking Olympic gold in the heptathlon for the second time running.