Just two months after her astronomical success at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympic Games, Australian swimmer Madi Wilson suffered a setback as she has been hospitalized with COVID-19 during the ongoing ISL in Naples.
The 27-year-old, who clinched gold in the 4×100 m freestyle as well as a bronze at the 4×200 m freestyle events in Tokyo, is now admitted to a hospital in Italy, despite claiming that she was double vaccinated.
I’ll be ready to bounce back in no time: Madi Wilson
On Sunday, Wilson announced her condition via a post on Instagram, and in some follow up Instagram stories, the swimmer informed that she also has been diagnosed with underlying chest and lung complications. However, she believes that the vaccines prevented her condition from worsening.
“I am extremely disappointed and upset not to be racing along side my teammates in match 8 here in the ISL. I recently tested positive for covid and yesterday was moved into hospital for further care and observation. Even though I am double vaccinated and took the right precaution set in place through the ISL, I have managed to fall to this virus,” Wilson wrote in her post.
“It’s been a crazy few months and I believe being run down physically and mentally may have made me more susceptible. I feel extremely unlucky but I do believe this is a huge wake up call, Covid is a serious thing and when it comes it hits very hard. I’d be stupid not to say I wasn’t scared. I’m so lucky for all my family, friends and support people. I can’t believe how much love I have been shown and I’m forever in debt to these people.”
“Special thanks to my incredible LA family, you haven’t and wont ever see a team with a bigger heart then theirs, away from the pool the most incredible compassionate group of people and in the pool we are fighting with every bit of strength. I can promise we will be ready to fire come semifinals! I’m taking some time to rest and I’m sure I’ll be ready to bounce back in no time.”
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A former 2016 Rio Games gold and silver medallist in the 4×100m freestyle and medley categories respectively, Wilson clinched gold at the Tokyo Olympics along with teammates Mollie O’Callaghan, Bronte Campbell and Meg Harris by competing in the qualifiers, even though Wilson did not compete in the final along with O’Callaghan.
