Mariah Bell Wins U.S. Figure Skating Title and a Spot in Beijing

Amber Glenn, among the top skaters being considered for the Olympic team, also tested positive on Friday, the day of the free skate. On social media, she said she had felt ill for a few days but thought it was just nerves or maybe allergies.

On Wednesday, Brandon Frazier, who skates with Alexa Knierim in pairs, tested positive after waking up with symptoms. Frazier and Knierim are the top-ranked pairs team in the United States.

And on Saturday morning, three more competitors at nationals — one men’s singles skater and an ice dancing team — tested positive, but none were realistically in contention for the Olympic team.

Fortunately for those skaters who had to withdraw from this last big competition before Beijing, the national championship is not an Olympic trial event, as it is in some other sports, where the top finishers earn automatic berths onto the U.S. Olympic team.

That distinction helped Liu, who watched Friday’s free skate from her hotel room while in isolation, and could also save the Olympic dreams of Frazier and Knierim. The championship skates for pairs, ice dancing and men’s singles were scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/08/sports/mariah-bell-figure-skating-title-olympics.html