Mikaela Shiffrin has tested positive for COVID-19, the two-time Olympic champion skier revealed Monday.
In a post on social media, Shiffrin said that she’s “doing well” but will miss Lienz, the World Cup giant slalom and slalom races scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in the Austrian city.
“I’m following protocol and isolation,” she wrote. “Best of luck to my teammates… I’ll be cheering for you.”
👋, 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, & I will miss Lienz. 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. 🤍 pic.twitter.com/YxZnwWP6f1
— Mikaela Shiffrin (@MikaelaShiffrin) December 27, 2021
Shiffrin currently leads Italy’s Sofia Goggia by 115 points in the standings for the overall World Cup title. However, Goggia has been virtually unbeatable in the speed events of downhill and super-G, meaning that Shiffrin needs to maintain a high level of points in giant slalom and slalom.
In November, Shiffrin tied the World Cup record for career wins in a single discipline with her 46th slalom win.
Six consecutive technical races had been scheduled, giving Shiffrin an opportunity to extend her lead prior to the positive test. There are also six weeks until the Beijing Olympics, which open February 4, where Shiffrin will look to defend her gold medal from the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in giant slalom.
Other top skiers have also missed races, with former overall champion Lara Gut-Behrami, Austrian world champion Katharina Liensberger and Alice Robinson of New Zealand all testing positive for COVID.
The next women’s World Cup race after Lienz will be a slalom in Zagreb, Croatia on January 4.