(Reuters) – Double Olympic gold medallist Mikaela Shiffrin has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss this week’s World Cup races in Lienz, Austria, she said on Monday.
American Shiffrin, the overall World Cup leader, is a strong contender for gold in February’s Beijing Winter Olympics after winning the giant slalom in Pyeongchang in 2018 and slalom at the 2014 Games.
“I wanted to let you all know that I’m doing well, but unfortunately I had a positive COVID test. I’m following protocol and isolating and I will miss Lienz,” Shiffrin posted on Twitter.
“Best of luck to my teammates…I’ll be cheering for you. Thank you all for your support. I’ll see you in the new year,” she added.
Lienz is due to host women’s giant slalom and slalom races on Dec. 28 and 29.
(Reporting by Simon Evans, Editing by Ed Osmond)