The New Zealand team have been hit by their first case of Covid-19 at the Commonwealth Games, with one athlete isolating after testing positive on arrival in Birmingham.
Chef de mission Nigel Avery said the male athlete was asymptomatic and being monitored at an isolationhotel, and there was no indication that his involvement in the Games was in doubt.
"I've spoken to him a couple of times and sort of teased him a bit: has he watched the entire catalogue of Netflix yet? He had a bit of a giggle so he's in good spirits," Avery told the Herald on the banks of one of Birmingham's many canals.
"As far as being able to compete, we're just following the process. His Ct (cycle threshold) score is going higher, which is a good thing, so we're just waiting to see what happens."
Athletes have begun arriving in Birmingham ahead of the Commonwealth Games. Photo / Kate Wells
With the United Kingdom having eliminated protocols aimed to stop the spread of the virus, the medical committee's monitoring is more about the athlete's wellbeing and their ability to compete at their best, with different sports requiring different energy systems.
The infected Kiwi still had gym access in isolation but Avery said they had already been tapering their fitness ahead of the start of the Games on Friday, working mainly with resistance bands.
As the full New Zealand team complete their arrival in Birmingham, the likelihood of further cases increases. The strict bubble systems that were in place at the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics have been relaxed, and mask wearing among the public is rare.
"It was strange, particularly when we arrived and were walking around Birmingham and we were the only ones in masks," Avery said. "They're learning to live with Covid, which I'm sure many other parts of the world are and no doubt New Zealand will, so maybe it's a window into the future."
Keeping track of the Covid situation is only one of Avery's many responsibilities, having yet to enjoy the chance to look around Birmingham.
But the athletes' arrivals have been "super energising" and helping to counteract any jet lag, with Avery saying he is loving his first experience as Chef de Mission after succeeding Rob Waddell.
"I had a couple of chats with Rob before we got here - he's a great man and what he did for the team in the time he was here was exceptional," Avery said. "My view is it's all about improving that and growing it and keeping the momentum flowing.
"We've definitely seen that with the way the athletes and teams have embraced Pou Tangata, which is the haka, and it's those intangible things that could be the difference between achieving and not achieving."
