Figure skater Keegan Messing tests negative twice, needs 1 more to be cleared for travel to Beijing | CBC Sports

Messing won his first national figure skating title in January, punching his ticket to Beijing 2022. But as he remains in Vancouver awaiting his test results, teammate Roman Sakovsky was pressed into action for the team skating event, which began Friday morning. Sakovsky placed eighth, and Canada sits in sixth place after the first three events. 

Sadovsky learned Thursday night he’d be stepping in for Messing.

“I was told to just stay ready, be prepared,” Sadovsky said on the late notice. “All season I’ve been working towards the Olympic Games. I know the Games have a team event. It’s a little bit of an endurance kind of weekend after all the programs. I came here prepared to do anything, really.”

Only the top five teams advance to the team figure skating final. The women’s short program in the team competition goes Saturday, and marks Canada’s last hope of moving on to the finals.

Canada won gold in the team event four years ago in Pyeongchang. 

WATCH | Preview: Olympic figure skating team event:

Preview: Olympic figure skating team event

That Figure Skating Show breaks down the team figure skating event in Beijing, telling you all the teams you should know about and their chances at a podium finish. Presented by Ozempic. 6:53

Meanwhile, the men’s individual competition begins on Feb. 8. 

A native of Girdwood, Alaska, Messing competes for Canada because his mother was born in Edmonton. 

Messing made his Olympic debut four years ago in Pyeongchang, where he finished 12th. He was sixth at the world championships last spring in Stockholm, and also won bronze at Skate America last season.

WATCH | Keegan Messing wins 1st national figure skating title:

Keegan Messing wins 1st career Canadian men’s figure skating title

Keegan Messing claims the men’s event at the Canadian National Figure Skating Championships with a total score of 258.03. 7:26