BEIJING (AP) — Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, who was chosen to be a flagbearer for the U.S. Olympic team, won’t be able to attend the opening ceremony for the Winter Games because she’s in isolation after a positive COVID-19 test. two days after arriving in Beijing.
Speed skater Brittany Bowe will take Meyers Taylor’s place in Friday’s ceremony. She will be joined by John Shuster, who will become the first curler to carry the American flag in an opening ceremony.
In other Olympics news:
— About 150,000 spectators are expected to be invited to attend events at the Beijing Olympics. Plans to sell tickets to international visitors were scrapped last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The block was extended in January to residents of China. Details of the invitation plan was given to a meeting of IOC members. The invited guests will include staff of diplomatic missions in Beijing and local school children.
— The three-day torch relay for the Beijing Olympics has started with an 80-year-old former speedskater carrying the flame. The torch will be carried through the three Olympics zones, starting with downtown Beijing.
— Competition at the Beijing Olympics began Wednesday with four curling stones sliding down sheets of ice in the venue where Michael Phelps won a record eight swimming gold medals at the Summer Olympics 14 years ago. Curling is being held on four sheets of ice at the Ice Cube, which was converted from the Water Cube, the swimming and diving venue for the 2008 Summer Games.
— The 2,900 or so competitors at the Winter Games have to make themselves available for unannounced doping control visits and that puts them at greater risk of catching COVID-19 and possibly ruling them out of their event. The agency that oversees sample collection at the Olympics says the daily virus tests add extra psychological weight and uncertainty.
