BEIJING (AP) — U.S. men's figure skater Vincent Zhou has tested positive for the coronavirus, and is out of the individual competition.
In a five-minute video posted to Instagram on Monday night, a teary Zhou announced that he would have to withdraw. He had initially tested positive as part of a routine COVID-19 screening, and underwent additional testing.
Zhou calls California home, but trains alongside his coaches long-term in Colorado Springs and graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School.
READ MORE: Meet the athletes from Colorado competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing
The 21-year-old had struggled through a poor free skate for the eventual team silver medalists a day before, and was due to compete in the individual competition that begins with the men's short program on Tuesday.
In the video, Zhou said he had isolated to the point of crushing loneliness over the past few months in a bid to avoid the virus. He ended on a positive note, though: “This is not the end. This is a setup for a bigger comeback."
