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Nicolas Atkin

US figure skater Vincent Zhou has revealed he tested positive for Covid-19, and will not be able to compete in Tuesday’s men’s singles short programme event.
The 21-year-old Zhou achieved a childhood dream by becoming an Olympic medallist on Sunday, when the US took silver in the Team Event, where he took part in the men’s singles free skating portion at Beijing’s Capital Indoor Stadium.
But the Chinese-American was left an “emotional wreck” after being ruled out from further competition at Beijing 2022.
“It seems pretty unreal that of all the people it would happen to myself,” Zhou said in a video posted to his official Instagram account.




















View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Vincent Zhou (@govincentzhou)



“I have been doing everything in my power to stay free of Covid since the start of the pandemic. I’ve taken all the precautions I can.
“I’ve isolated myself so much that the loneliness I felt in the last month or two has been crushing at times. The enormity of the situation, just the pain of it all, is pretty insane.”
Zhu Yi falls again, cries during routine as online criticism intensifies
Zhou said he would not let the setback define him as an athlete or a person.
“I’m extremely honoured and humbled to call myself an Olympic silver medallist,” he said, in between long pauses and sobs. “It wouldn’t be possible without my superhuman teammates, who are the best in the world at what they do.
“I’m sorry that I couldn’t continue this journey with you guys any longer and our paths diverge from here, but it’s for a good cause.”

A three-time US national silver medallist, Zhou has already set his sights on March’s Figure Skating World Championships in Montpellier, France.
“I will be back stronger and better,” he said. “This is not the end. This is a set up for a bigger comeback.”
US Figure Skating confirmed Zhou’s positive Covid-19 test on Monday, after putting out an earlier release saying he was being monitored by medical staff.

“I’ve already lost count of the number of times I’ve cried today,” Zhou said. “But I’m happy to say at least one of those times was happy tears. That was when I found out I became an Olympic silver medallist, and I think that wraps things up nicely on a positive note.”
Born in San Jose, California to Chinese parents, Zhou started skating at five years old and quickly became a prodigy.
“To the future Vincent watching this, your younger self would be so proud of the athlete and person you’ve become now,” he added. “Little eight-year-old you would be asking 21-year-old you for photos and autographs, because you lived out your dreams.

“You became the person you always aspired to be, when you were young sitting on the couch watching those great skaters on TV, studying their jumps every night at the dinner table, and waking up at 4am or earlier to go the rink and skate.
“You have no idea what you were getting into, but you followed your dream. You made sacrifices and dedicated your life to it. Today you are that person, Vincent.
“You made it happen. So be proud of that. Recognise yourself.”


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Winter Olympics: ‘emotional wreck’ Vincent Zhou tests positive for Covid-19; US figure skater out of Beijing 2022 individual event

Vincent Zhou of the United States performs in the men’s free skate of the figure skating team event at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo: Kyodo

Vincent Zhou celebrates with his US teammates after their team event silver medal at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo: Reuters/Evgenia Novozhenina

Vincent Zhou performs at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo: Xinhua/Lan Hongguang

Vincent Zhou during his figure skating team event men’s single free routine at the Capital Indoor Stadium. Photo: Xinhua/Ma Ning

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China’s Ren Ziwei celebrates after winning gold in the men’s 1,000m short-track speedskating. Photo: Reuters

Hungary’s Sandor Liu Shaolin (left) falls over the finish line just ahead of China’s Ren Ziwei in the final of the men’s 1,000m short-track speedskating. Photo: AFP

Su Yiming with his silver medal. Photo: Reuters

China’s Zhu Yi cries after completing her routine in the women’s free skate. Photo: dpa

Winter Olympics: China’s US-born figure skater Zhu Yi falls again, cries during routine as online abuse intensifies – ‘I couldn’t hold it back’

China’s Zhu Yi cries during her performance in the women’s team figure skating competition at the Capital Indoor Stadium during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Photo: Peter Kneffel/dpa

Zhu Yi of China falls during the team event’s women’s single free skating. Photo: Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei

Zhu Yi performs on Monday. Photo: Xinhua/Li Yibo

Zhu Yi reacts after her free skating routine in the team event at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo: Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei

Winter Olympics: meet China’s Beijing 2022 figure skating big guns, including ‘goddess’ Zhu Yi and men’s medal hope Jin Boyang

Chinese figure skater Zhu Yi skates during a training session for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo: Reuters/Tyrone Siu

Chinese figure skater Boyang Jin skates during a training session at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing. Photo: Reuters/Fabrizio Bensch

Zhu Yi is known as the “goddess” of Chinese figure skating. Photo: Xinhua/Cao Can

Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China perform in the pairs free skate final at the Gangneung Ice Arena during the 2018 Winter Olympics. Photo: AP/David J Phillip

Peng Cheng (left) and Jin Yang of China compete during the pairs short programme final at the 2019 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Turin, Italy. Photo: Xinhua/Cheng Tingting

Wang Shiyue and Liu Xinyu of China in action at the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan. Photo: Reuters/Issei Kato

Sport

China

Beijing Winter Games 2022

Figure Skating


‘The pain of it all is pretty insane,’ 21-year-old says in heartbreaking video confirming withdrawal from Games
Zhou says he achieved a ‘childhood dream’ by winning silver in team event on Sunday and vows to come back ‘stronger and better’



‘I’m an emotional wreck,’ 21-year-old US figure skater says in heartbreaking video confirming his Beijing 2022 withdrawal – ‘the pain of it all is pretty insane’.


IOC (International Olympic Committee)

Coronavirus pandemic

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