Australia's delegation enters the Olympic Stadium during Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games opening ceremony's parade of athletes, in Tokyo on July 23, 2021. (HANNAH MCKAY / POOL / AFP)

SYDNEY - Australia's Olympic athletics team in Tokyo was cleared from an immediate isolation on Thursday after United States pole vaulter Sam Kendricks tested positive for COVID-19.

Three members of the team underwent PCR testing in the afternoon following a brief casual contact with the US athlete, and returned negative results

"Members of Australia's track and field team at the Tokyo Olympic Games are isolating in their rooms as a precautionary measure following news of a COVID positive finding with a member of the US track and field team," said a statement from the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).

"Members of the Australian track and field team are now undergoing testing procedures in line with Australian Olympic Team protocols," it added.

An update from the AOC later on Thursday afternoon revealed that team members in the Tokyo Olympic Village have been cleared to return to their regular routines after earlier isolating in their rooms as a precautionary measure. All members at the Games are tested daily.

Three members of the team underwent PCR testing in the afternoon following a brief casual contact with the US athlete, and returned negative results.

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The three, all vaccinated and having returned negative results in all of their daily tests in the village, are now in isolation and will be tested daily. They will be allowed to resume training, subject to strict protocols that restricts their contact with others, the AOC said.

A total of 54 members of the track and field team, including 41 athletes and 13 officials, were later given permission to leave after spending a little over two hours in their rooms.

Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman said the protocols put into place by the AOC ahead of the Games have proved valuable in managing the situation.

"We will continue to be very thorough in our observance of the Tokyo playbooks and our own additional measures. We want every Australian athlete to be in a position to have their Olympic moment. We will continue to be vigilant," said Chesterman.

The athletics competition begins on Friday, July 30.