World 200m freestyle champion Federica Pellegrini has tested positive for Covid-19 with the International Swimming League set to start on Friday in Budapest.
The 2008 Olympic gold medallist made the tearful announcement on her Instagram story, saying that she left a training session in Italy on Wednesday in pain and with a developing a sore throat.
A test subsequently showed she had the coronavirus which means she will not travel to the Hungarian capital on Monday to join up with the Aqua Centurions.
Federica Pellegrini; Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Insidefoto / Deepbluemedia
She said:
“Yesterday during a training session I went out because I was in a lot of pain and returning home in the afternoon I started to have a sore throat, and obviously I didn’t go to the pool any more, and this afternoon I had a swab and the result is positive.
“So I’m positive for Covid. I am very sorry because on Monday I was to leave for the ISL in Budapest starting to compete, which, in short … I needed and wanted to do.
“And yet, of course, I will not.
“I’m really sorry for everything: for me, I had started the year well, I was training well and I couldn’t wait to start a normal season again and instead nothing … We stop again.
“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, although as you can see I have been crying until now. We will try to look at the bright side of it, even if it escapes me now, and we do these nice 10 days of quarantine at home … Yeah! Happiness….”
Pellegrini’s positive follows those already announced by training partner Stefania Pirozzi, Kristof Milak and Femke Heemskerk.
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This is extremely sad news and I am truly heartbroken for you Federica. Your comradery and competitive presence will be sorely missed by your teammates and all other swimmers as well as your fans. You must attend to your well being and recovery process. I have every confidence that with proper care, you will beat this horrible infection and come back even stronger in the very near future.