Hurdler Sparkle McKnight and long jumper Andwuelle Wright are among three persons from the T&T contingent that has tested positive for COVID-19 at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

On Friday, the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) confirmed in a release that three members of the T&T team at the virus-delayed Games have been quarantined following COVID-19 testing at the Games Village.

The other individual is Wright's long jump coach Wendell Williams, a former Olympian. It is unknown whether the trio was vaccinated ahead of the Games. However, it must be noted that getting vaccinated was not mandatory to participate in the 2020 Olympics which was postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The release also advised that McKnight, Wright and coach Williams are in daily contact with the team's COVID-19 Liaison officer Rheeza Grant and Chef de Mission, Lovie Santana.

Grant, who along with fellow Team TTO officials, are giving the local athletes and coach the necessary support as needed, said yesterday: "I am not at liberty to disclose any information concerning their vaccination status but I can tell you that they are doing fine and they are in isolation and we are in constant communication with them."

According to the release, the two athletes and one official received positive test results following daily routine Saliva Antigen tests at the Olympic Village.

It said: "This came following two Nasopharyngeal PCR verification tests in accordance with established Tokyo2020 COVID-19 protocols, countermeasures and guidelines.

The three members have been transferred to the approval isolation hotel facility for foreign athletes and officials to commence mandatory quarantine.

Chef Santana added that she too is in communication with the trio and that: "They are doing very well, in terms of the vaccination status, that's not for TTOC to disclose."

McKnight, a two-time Olympian, was scheduled to face the starter in heat four in the women's 400 metres hurdles at the Toyko Olympic Stadium, last night at 8.24 pm.

Debutant Wright was set to compete today (Saturday) in Group B in the men's long jump qualification round from 6.10 am.

The 50 members of Team TTO currently in Tokyo are tested daily and are required to comply with the stringent Toyko2020 Playbook countermeasures instituted by the Japan Government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Games' organising committee and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Data collected by the IOC shows that as of Friday, they had reported a total of 220 COVID-19 cases linked to the Olympics since July 1.

This includes athletes, employees of the Olympics organising committee and of national committees as well as contractors and other employees and volunteers working at the games, as well as members of the media. Half of these cases were among contractors providing services at the Olympic venues, and the majority of the cases were Japanese.