Alpine skiing-Shiffrin tests positive for COVID-19, to miss Lienz

[December 27, 2021] (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.

Mikaela Shiffrin of the U.S. after finishing second in the women's slalom Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva via REUTERS

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 Tuesday and Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Shiffrin claimed her 72nd World Cup win in Courchevel, France last week, winning the giant slalom.

The American this month earned her first World Cup podium in a speed race in nearly two years, finishing third in a super-G at St Moritz.

Switzerland's Laura Gut-Behrami, the reigning world champion in super-G and giant slalom, has been sidelined since testing positive on Dec. 17.

World slalom champion Katharina Liensberger tested positive during the Courchevel meet.

(Reporting by Simon Evans, Editing by Ed Osmond)

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