Farida Osman, one of Egypt’s best-ever swimmers, went into quarantine in the Red Sea resort of Marsa Alam after returning to the country from the United States, she said on Saturday.
Osman was among a group of almost two dozen Egyptian athletes who boarded a special flight carrying stranded Egyptians from Washington to Marsa Alam, where they are scheduled to stay for 14 days as a precaution.
Egypt has suspended all international flights since 19 March as it battles an outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I want to tell you that the quarantine procedures are very important and all those responsible for it are very helpful,” Osman said on her official Twitter account.
The 25-year-old decided to go back to Egypt after the summer Olympic Games in Tokyo were postponed to next year over coronavirus concerns.
Osman is regarded as one of the most successful swimmers in Egypt’s history.
She won two bronze medals in the 50m butterfly event at two successive World Championships in 2017 and 2019, setting African records in the process.
However, she has not tasted similar success in the Olympics, mainly because the Games do not include the 50m butterfly event — Osman’s specialty.
الحمد لله أنا وصلت مصر امبارح مع مجموعة من الرياضيين بالخارج وحاليا أنا فى الحجر الصحى فى مرسى علم اللى هتكون مدته أسبوعين. وعايزة أقولكم أن إجرائات الحجر الصحى دى مهمة جدا وكل القائمين عليه واخدين بالهم مننا جدا. أنا بشكرهم على هذا المجهود الرائع و الاهتمام بينا. وبشكر (1/2) pic.twitter.com/s1AQ2rZeDg
— Farida Osman (@FaridaOsman) April 4, 2020