INQUIRER Sports

BEIJING -- An Australian journalist is critically ill after collapsing from heat exhaustion while covering the Olympics and is awaiting emergency evacuation to Hong Kong, reports said Wednesday.

Matthew Hill, 24, fell ill with heat stress soon after the blistering conditions of the opening days of Olympic competition while working for accredited Australian broadcaster Macquarie Network.

While he appeared to recover, Hill's condition rapidly deteriorated Tuesday night. He is thought to be suffering from pneumonia in both lungs and is in an induced coma, Australian Associated Press said.

A medical team was preparing to evacuate him to Hong Kong, pending Chinese government approval for a specially-equipped medivac plane to land in Beijing, it added.

"This is not because of the quality of treatment in Beijing, far from it, but because the hospital in Hong Kong has specialized equipment Hill may need," Australian chef de mission John Coates told Australian media.

"We hope he pulls through, he is an Australian, we are giving him as much assistance as possible."

Beijing has been hazy, hot and humid for much of the Games.

Controversy has swirled around the issue of the city's air quality throughout the build-up to the Olympics, but the International Olympic Committee has insisted the pollution poses no threat.