CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The dreaded test results came back positive for COVID-19 and the illness descended on South African swimmer Erin Gallagher.
In the span of a few days, she went from elite Olympic athlete in peak condition to lying flat on a bed concentrating on the most basic of physical functions. Just keep breathing, she told herself.
The Tokyo Olympics and the dream she’d been chasing for years suddenly seemed out of reach.
“Those were extremely dark times,” Gallagher said. “I couldn’t really see any possible way where I could get to Tokyo. In the back of my mind there was this voice saying, ‘Erin, you’re not going to make it, I don’t think, so rather quit now and just focus on regaining your health.’”

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