Swimmer who won gold at Tokyo Olympics says she's hospitalized with COVID-19
An Australian swimmer who won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and competes for Los Angeles' team in the International Swimming League has been hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19. Madison Wilson, 27, said she's fully vaccinated against the coronavirus when she announced on Instagram she'll be receiving treatment at a hospital.
While vaccines have been found to be highly effective in fighting COVID-19, so-called breakthrough infections — where a vaccinated person contracts the disease — happen. Health officials say vaccines still provide the best defense against experiencing severe symptoms and dying from the coronavirus.
"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," Wilson said on Instagram on Sunday. "I'd be stupid not to say I wasn't scared."
Wilson said she was being hospitalized for "further care and observation" and she was "taking some time to rest."
"I'm sure I'll be ready to bounce back in no time," she said.
At this summer's Tokyo Games, Wilson won a gold medal in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay and a bronze in the 4x200 freestyle relay. In Naples, Italy, earlier this month, she won the 100 and 200 freestyle for the Los Angeles Current in the regular season of the International Swimming League.
"It's been a crazy few months and I believe being run down physically and mentally may have made me more susceptible," Wilson said on Instagram.
In her post, she included a video of her Current teammates telling her they loved her and a photo of some of her teammates with a bouquet of brightly colored flowers.
"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," Wilson said.