YANQING, China — Belgian Kim Meylemans finished the first day of women’s skeleton in 11th place, removed from any realistic chance of winning a medal in Saturday night’s final two runs. After her troubled arrival in Beijing, though, she felt gratified simply to compete at the Olympics.
“For me to get to this point in these Games was a big achievement,” Meylemans said after her first two runs Wednesday. “It was all far from ideal, but I think we made the best out of it.”
Meylemans tested positive when she arrived despite no symptoms and likely not being contagious — Meylemans originally tested positive a month ago — and moved into an isolation facility. When Meylemans recorded the requisite two negative tests, Beijing 2022 officials mistakenly sent to another quarantine facility rather than the Athletes Village owing to what she called a “communication error.”
