By Philip O’Connor
ZHANGJIAKOU, China (Reuters) – Norway’s Jarl Magnus Riiber is in a race against time to get out of isolation to compete at the Beijing Games, and having delivered three negative COVID-19 tests, his team are now hoping for a miraculous return.
Riiber tested positive for the coronavirus on arrival in China and has been in quarantine ever since, but after the three recent tests came up negative he should be released shortly – the question is if it will happen in time for Tuesday’s large hill/10 km event.
“He has had reasonably tough conditions, he has been in a hotel confinement for 12-13 days, and has not skied in 14 days,” team manager Ivar Stuan told broadcaster NRK.
The final training session for the large hill event took place at the Zhangjiakou National Ski Jumping Centre on Monday afternoon, but the 24-year-old Pyeongchang silver medalist was nowhere to be seen.
The Norwegian team want Riiber to be released from quarantine as soon as possible but they also want to test his physical status before deciding if he should make a leap from the 140-metre large hill on Tuesday before the 10 km ski race.
“I’ll try to find the place in China where Riiber is and get him back to our hotel. Then we get to talk to Jarl about what he wants to do,” Stuan said.
A more likely scenario for Riiber’s return would be the final Nordic combined competition of the Games, which is the team event that takes place on Thursday.
“I have to say that a miracle has to happen for this to go well, but we must do everything we can to get it on the right path now,” Stuan said.
“Miracles have happened before, maybe another one can happen.”
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Robert Birsel)
