The story of Natalia Maliszewska during the Winter Olympics in Beijing is suitable for a film. Before the beginning of Saturday’s qualification in the short track on 500 meters, the Polish woman once again found out about the positive result of the coronavirus test. For this reason, it lost the chance to compete on its crowning distance.
Maliszewska’s traumatic days
Only a few dozen hours after reaching Beijing, Maliszewska was sent to isolation as a result of a positive test result. On Wednesday, February 3, it had a negative result. If the situation repeated a day later, the 26-year-old could return to the Olympic Village. Unfortunately, this did not happen.
Friday tests were the last hope. In the event of a negative result, and then the same result on Saturday, Maliszewska would be able to return to the start of the competition at 500 meters. Unfortunately, this time the test was positive as well. Unexpectedly, the IOC decided to change the quarantine rules, thanks to which the Polish woman could appear at the start.
At that time, there were many indications that he would play for a Pole in Saturday’s qualification. However, Maliszewska was not on the starting list. All because of another positive test for coronavirus.
“Horror Night”
Natalia Maliszewska is already training normally and is preparing for the next starts – at 1000 meters and in the relay race at 3000 meters. In these competitions, however, she will not be a favorite for the medal, especially after the traumatic experiences of the last few days.
– For me it is ridiculous and it is no coincidence – about the confusion she had to deal with. – I don’t know who is responsible for it. Who then decided that I could get out of this isolation? Who then made the decision that I shouldn’t leave after all. Still waiting for the answer I didn’t get – she added.
The Polish woman told about the night from Friday to Saturday, when she was finally allowed to leave the isolation hotel. “This last night felt like a horror movie,” she admitted. – I felt as if the cameras were suddenly dead in this isolation hotel and I have 30 seconds to get out of there. Someone just came for me suddenly at 3 am, almost zipped up my suitcase and told me to just get out of this room. He told me yes, you can go out. I was dumbfounding then, I didn’t know what was going on. I just asked if he was really saying that, because three hours earlier – at midnight – he also came to me and said that I could leave, but I couldn’t.
– When I arrived at the village at 3 am, the head of the mission said to me: Natalka, I do not know how it happened that you are here – the player recalled. – I just felt like I was illegal in this place. I slept in my clothes because I was afraid that someone would come back to pick me up soon, put me in an ambulance and order me to go to isolation – summed up the Polish ice skater.
Wednesday’s qualifying round of 1000 meters is scheduled for Wednesday, February 9, at 12:44 Polish time. Natalia Maliszewska will start in the seventh heat, and her rivals will be Russian Yekaterina Jefremienkowa, Canadian Alyson Charles and French Tifany Huot Marchand. In the eighth race, the second Pole, Kamila Stormowska, will compete for the promotion to the quarter-finals.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
