Hobbs Kessler from Team USA almost didn’t perform in the Olympics 2024 Summer Games. This is because Kessler was diagnosed with  Covid-19. This scare came earlier this year after the athlete was first selected to play for his country in Paris.

Despite the events leading up to him contracting the coronavirus, Kessler still qualified for the semi-finals of the Athletics 1500m at the Olympics. He has yet to run two more days to win gold for his country, but this qualification is an achievement, nevertheless. Not just because the competition was high, but also because he lost some of his precious training time due to the diagnosis.

Hobbs Kessler had a setback before Olympics 2024

The runner qualified for the team to run in a 1500m athletics event for the first time in the Olympics. However, little did he know that things wouldn’t go completely his way. Misfortune headed his way and Kessler soon found himself in the grasp of Covid-19, the pandemic virus that had troubled each soul on the planet four years ago. This happened when he headed home to his training base in Flagstaff, Arizona. The young athlete recovered after isolating and taking a week off from training. He had to get one last training stint out of his system before the Paris Summer Games of 2024 and flew over to Saint Moritz for the same. While talking to the reporters after his heat on 2nd August at the Olympics, Kessler said, “Gotta watch out for the Wild Duck. I’ll get ya.”

His statement oozes confidence as he moves toward the next round of heats to grab a win for his beloved nation despite facing potentially heavy odds before the international event.

Where is Hobbs Kessler headed now?

The first round of the men’s 1500m athletics event took place on August 2nd. Kessler competed against 14 other teams and managed to secure the runner-up spot among five other qualifiers. He finished just behind the Netherlands’ Stefan Nillessen, who clocked 3:36.77, while Kessler crossed the line at 3:36.87. Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway finished third in this qualification heat. The six men who clearly qualified in this round will compete again next week. There is also a ‘Repechage round’ for those who did not qualify on their first try.

Supporters of Team USA should tune in on August 4th at 9:10 PM CEST (Paris time) to catch the men’s 1500m semi-finals. If you want to watch Hobbs Kessler defy the odds and leave his competitors behind, make sure to watch the event live on NBCOlympics.com or Peacock if you are in the United States. Feel free to check out other streaming options available in your region on the official Olympics website.

Do you believe that the “Wild Duck” will live up to his own expectations? Leave us a comment below.