PARIS– Ukrainian tennis player Anhelina Kalinina withdrew from the 2024 Olympics because she caught a cold after rainy weather in Paris, the country’s Olympic committee said.
“Unfortunately, yesterday we spent a lot of time on the courts waiting for the competition to start,” Kalinina said on Sunday in a statement from the Ukrainian committee. “It was raining all this time and this morning I had a sore throat.”
During the Olympics opening ceremony Friday, athletes from around the world paraded in boats as heavy rain fell, soaking their uniforms. The four-hour event along the River Seine continued, with athletes and fans making the most of the heavy rain by using umbrellas, ponchos and jackets.
The rains continued on Saturday.
Technically, just being out in the rain and cold isn’t what makes people sick. But staying in these conditions for long periods can affect the immune system.
For Kalinina, the Paris Games should be her debut in the Olympics.
“I was very upset because it was a big dream and an honor for me to play in the Olympics and represent my country, especially at such a difficult time,” said the 27-year-old. But she decided not to take any risks and avoid complications.
Kalinina was supposed to start competing on Saturday, but rain forced the open court tennis competitions to be rescheduled for Sunday. Skateboarding was also postponed from Saturday due to rain.
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