Olympics-Athletics-World champion vaulter Kendricks out with COVID, says father

American double world champion pole vaulter Sam Kendricks has been ruled out of the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19, according to the athlete's father. "Today in Tokyo officials informed Sam that his daily test was positive so he is out of the competition," he tweeted.

American double world champion pole vaulter Sam Kendricks has been ruled out of the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19, according to the athlete's father. "Today in Tokyo officials informed Sam that his daily test was positive so he is out of the competition," he tweeted. "He feels fine and has no symptoms."

United States athletics officials are yet to confirm the news. Kendricks won the world title in 2017 and 2019 and Olympic bronze in Rio 2016. His battle with world record holder Mondo Duplantis of Sweden was expected to have been one of the highlights of the athletics programme, which begins on Friday.