Nicole won’t let virus run track bid off path to gold

NICOLE YEARGIN insists she can’t run scared of the threat of Covid super-spreading around the Olympics and knocking her Games dreams off track.

The Scottish 400m runner saw six members of the British team ordered to self-isolate earlier this week after being close contacts of a passenger on their flight to Japan who later tested positive for the virus.

She knows the perils after falling ill with Covid last July and losing her sense of smell and taste for two weeks.

And the numbers of those checking into the Athletes Village accelerating in the coming days, the risks of an outbreak are front and centre.

Yeargin said: “I’m vaccinated. I got Covid over a year ago, and I haven’t got it since. So my body’s pretty strong to not have it But it still is in the back of my mind. I don’t try to think on it, because it hasn’t happened yet. So I don’t try to hyper on it.

“If you test positive for Covid, you have to quarantine, for two weeks and you can’t run your team. It’s crazy and unfortunate that some athletes have to go through that but I’m just hoping it’s not me.

“Team GB they’ve already done all the pre-separation and set-up and stuff for us. So all I do is come in. I know my meal times, track times. No one really stresses me out about anything. They’ve handled everything for me so I don’t have to worry.”

With the mixed 4x400 relay debuting at the Olympics, Yeargin will be in line for triple duty.

But she admits a lack of crowds could temper things.

She said: “I won’t get everyone cheering for who wins or through a race. I still get the chance to be at the Olympics but it’s sad.”