Olympic-bound race walker Priyanka Goswami tests positive

NEW DELHI: Olympic-bound athlete Priyanka Goswami was isolated on Tuesday at the Sports Authority of India training centre in Bengaluru after she tested positive for Covid-19.

The 24-year-old national record holder from Uttar Pradesh had qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in the women's 20 km race walk event in February during the National Race Walking Championships held in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

She is the country's first high profile track and field athlete to have tested positive for Covid-19. Alexander Artsybashev, a foreign coach associated with the national race walking squad in Bengaluru, also tested positive for the virus.

Confirming the development, a national level coach said that several athletes preparing for the Tokyo Olympics qualification competitions have tested positive for coronavirus. IANS