NASHVILLE — Alysa Liu, one of many favorites to make the U.S. Olympic determine skating group for subsequent month’s Beijing Winter Video games, examined constructive for the coronavirus on Friday and withdrew from the U.S. nationwide championships.
Liu, 16, completed third within the brief program at nationals on Thursday and hoped {that a} robust displaying in Friday’s free skate would strengthen her possibilities of making the Olympic group.
Her destiny now’s within the fingers of U.S. Determine Skating officers, who on Saturday will announce the U.S. girls’s group headed to Beijing. They’ll choose the three feminine single skaters primarily based on their physique of labor over the previous yr — not simply on how they end at nationals.
That’s nice information for Liu. She is likely one of the top-ranked American girls and completed within the high 5 of each of her Grand Prix occasions this season.
Later Friday, one other contender for the Olympic group, Amber Glenn, examined constructive and withdrew from nationals, depriving her of a final probability to impress the Olympic choice committee. She stated she was experiencing signs.
On Instagram, Liu — the senior nationwide champion in 2019 and 2020 — wrote that she was totally vaccinated, had been sporting an N95 masks and twice examined adverse earlier than arriving at nationals.
“Issues occur sadly, however it’s what it’s,” she wrote of her constructive take a look at, including that she felt good bodily and mentally. She didn’t point out whether or not she was experiencing any signs of the virus.
Liu was the second high-profile American skater to check constructive at nationals. Brandon Frazier, who, with Alexa Knierim, is the reigning nationwide pairs champion, withdrew from nationals on Wednesday after waking up feeling ailing after which testing constructive.
“Though my signs are fairly unhealthy, nothing sucks greater than not having the ability to compete,” Frazier stated on social media.
Knierim wrote: “Now we have taken all the required precautions main as much as these championships, together with however not restricted to social distancing, the usage of KN95 masks and canceling all vacation gatherings in addition to non-public classes on the rink, so it has been surprising and devastating for us to course of what has occurred.”
After testing constructive on Friday morning, Glenn, who completed 14th within the brief program and was among the many high 4 girls vying for the Olympic group, wrote on social media that she was heartbroken to withdraw from nationals after feeling sick: “During the last 48hrs I progressively turned slower, weak & sluggish… I assumed it was the standard competitors nerves and perhaps allergic reactions however after yesterday’s efficiency & the final two days of practices not feeling like myself in any respect I had a sinking feeling it was one thing extra.”
And in a part of her Instagram submit that was later deleted, she stated, ““To know I used to be competing whereas sick with covid is terrible.”
U.S. Determine Skating will announce the US’ two Olympic pairs groups on Sunday, and Frazier and Knierim stated they’ve petitioned to be chosen for the Beijing Video games.
