Jan 5, 2022; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Casey Dawson competes in the Men’s 5000 meter event during the 2022 US Olympic Trials – Long Track for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at Pettit National Ice Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick McDermott-USA TODAY Sports
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BEIJING, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Members of the top-ranked men’s USA speed skating team put on a brave face despite missing a member of their team on the ice rink in Beijing due to positive COVID-19 tests.
Team USA speed skater Casey Dawson said that he will miss his individual races at the Beijing Winter Games because he tested positive for COVID-19 three weeks ago.
He started testing negative this past week, but with a change in the rules that required four consecutive negative tests rather than the two that he initially thought was required, he has been unable to travel to Beijing for the Games, he said on Instagram on Thursday.
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“I think we’re hoping to get Casey here and even if we don’t we still have a good shot at winning the team pursuit,” said team mate Joey Mantia after a training session at the National Speed Skating Oval on Friday.
“We do need him as part of our strategy but it’s not a make or break type situation in terms of ‘Oh we can’t even medal if he’s not here,'” he said.
Dawson said that he had tested negative twice in a row, which he said “was the general consensus” for the requirement to…
