Alysa Liu has pulled out of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships after contracting COVID-19, becoming at least the fourth competitor to test positive for the virus leading up to and during nationals.
The two-time champion was in the position to make the team for the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics after finishing third in the short program less than a day before announcing her withdrawal.
"I'm fully vaccinated, have been wearing a n95 mask and got 2 negative test results before leaving to Nashville," Liu posted on Instagram. "Things happen unfortunately ..."
Pairs team and reigning national champions Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier withdrew the day before the competition started after Frazier tested positive. They plan to petition for one of the two pairs openings on the Olympic team.
Liu, 16, also said that she plans to use her recent body of work to petition for one of the three women's spots.
"I'm thankful to us figure skating for taking the extra precaution and having the necessary testing facilities to help keep everyone here as safe as possible. i'm feeling good physically and mentally and i'm wishing all the girls good luck for tonight," she wrote on Instagram.
Most stressing to those still competing, particularly leaders Mariah Bell and Karen Chen, is the fact that several skaters were in close contact with Liu on Thursday night. Bell and Chen — both of whom are vaccinated — even shared a dais with Liu for interviews after the short program, though they were separated by several feet and all wore masks.
Liu's positive test came back during a routine test all skaters, coaches and other staff are required to take four days after arriving in Nashville. She had not been displaying any symptoms during practice this week.
U.S. Figure Skating is now going through a contact-tracing process in accordance with CDC recommendations.
Liu has long been considered the best hope for an American woman to stand alongside the Russians on the podium in Beijing. The youngest skater ever to win the U.S. championship is one of the few with the ability to land a clean triple axel, though she fell during the short program on what is considered by far the most difficult triple jump.
She still finished with 71.42 points in her program. Bell led with 75.55 and Chen was second with 74.55.
"I don't really think about beating others in competition. When you say, 'Beat the Russians,' that's not my goal," Liu said. "My goal is to skate how I want to skate. And I feel like that's just my goal."
Leave it to the rest of the close-knit skating world to hype Liu instead. It began when she triumphed at nationals in 2018, breaking Tara Lipinski's record for the youngest winner at 13 years old. And while she was too young to compete at the Pyeongchang Games that year, it was clear that Liu had her sights set on competing in Beijing.
Now, those hopes rest in the hands of a selection committee that will make their decision on Saturday.
So do those of Knierim and Frazier, who were the favorites to win pairs gold in Nashville. The pair won the title last year, when the pandemic prevented any fans from attending nationals in Las Vegas, and Knierim is aiming for another Olympic team after competing with her husband Chris Knierim in Pyeongchang.
"I am devastated," Frazier said. "Any athlete would agree with me, you always want to have the ability to go out and compete. This has been one of the most emotional days of my career. There's nothing you can do, you have to be safe and smart, but the competitor in you wants to go out and compete and defend your title."
Update 01/07/22, 4:12 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
