Vincent Zhou cheer thread

[Sylvia]

14-minute feature on/interview with Vincent by CGTN (China Global Television Network) America, uploaded on Feb. 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuFJlpIz2zY

He was born in California but his parents are from China. So qualifying for the Winter Olympics in Beijing was particularly personal for U.S. figure skater Vincent Zhou. His longtime dream? To win a medal in front of his grandparents from both sides of his family. All of them live in Beijing. But getting to this climactic moment did not come without serious challenges. Dan Williams spoke with him during his Olympic training.

Vincent skated at the Capital Indoor Stadium practice rink on January 30, 2022: Link to his Getty Images photos

 

[VGThuy]

How nice it must be to spend New Years in China right now.

 

[tylersf]

Wishing Vincent all error-free and fully rotated jumps and if things go wrong for others, a gold medal for Vincent.

 

[Sylvia]

NBC Asian America article by Kimmy Yam (Feb. 3):

Olympian Vincent Zhou on masculinity, skating, mental health and ‘strict’ parents

“There’s nothing wrong with acknowledging your deepest thoughts or your deepest emotions,” he said in an interview before a positive Covid test forced him to drop out of the men’s competition at the Beijing Olympics.

www.nbcnews.com

Excerpt from the end:

However, Zhou also wants to dispel the myth that strict Asian parents are the sole fuel to his success, rather than his own love of the sport. The trope, he explained, removes agency from the athlete themselves. And at the end of the day, if “we truly don’t want to do it, we’re not going to do it.”
“No matter what, it always takes a village to bring an athlete to the Olympic level. And it’s impossible to keep going at that level if you don’t love what you’re doing,” Zhou said. “While people might say, ‘This person’s parents forced them to do this,’ … when we’re on the ice, we’re the only people in control of our own bodies and minds.”
Zhou added: “I hope that people watching skating can see the passion that we have for the sport.”

 

[VGThuy]

Go Vincent! I believe he’ll hit the long program tonight!

 

[olympic]

Go Vincent! I believe he’ll hit the long program tonight!

Practices have been really good thus far ... What is the skate order?

 

[bardtoob]

I think Vincent did well in the Team Olympic LP in Beijing. I like that he actually seemed to be enjoying himself during the choreographic sequence.

For most of Vincent's career, watching him skate was like watching him selling tickets at a movie theater.

 

[Sylvia]

Vincent's Team Event FS uploaded by NBC Sports (blocked outside USA): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRgL2Lk0ObM

 

[olympic]

Mixed feelings: This was neither Vincent's best or worst performance this year. He popped the 4F (Per Jackie's practice notes, it was really the only jump giving him problems), and had 2 UR's. He is always going to get 1-2 URs from an intl. panel. It seems probable that some nerves showed up, skating last after those LPs from Mark and Yuma. But the pop was egregious because it let Mark finish 2nd when Vincent needed to add to the US point total. But, I never thought he was going to finish 1st in this segment. Yuma is performing at a level that will challenge Yuzu and force Nathan to be reasonably clean. Still, team USA needed him 2nd.

Looking forward, I have faith that he will be better in the individual events this coming week: He won't have the pressure of skating last and having team USA on his shoulders, whose prior performances were giving team USA a breathe of hope.

 

[Sylvia]

5-minute emotional video message just now by Vincent about his withdrawal from the Men's event due to his positive covid test : https://www.instagram.com/p/CZrh0jbgDYU/

I'm so glad he will have always have his team silver medal from this Olympics at least.

 

[Vash01]

5-minute emotional video message just now by Vincent about his withdrawal from the Men's event due to his positive covid test : https://www.instagram.com/p/CZrh0jbgDYU/

I'm so glad he will have always have his team silver medal from this Olympics at least.

No!!!

 

[rfisher]

That was heartbreaking. I'm so sorry for him, his family and coaches. All the time, effort and money, and the dream ends due to random disease.

 

[skateboy]

That was heartbreaking. I'm so sorry for him, his family and coaches. All the time, effort and money, and the dream ends due to random disease.

It really was heartbreaking seeing Vincent break down like that, pouring out his soul to us.

Hoping he is indeed able to return to Worlds and come back strong.

 

[BittyBug]

The Olympics can be a dream crusher on the best of days, but for Vincent to get so close to fulfulling such a long-held dream, not only of competing at the Olympics, but doing so in his parents' home country and city, only to have it yanked from him by such a random fluke just seems so cruel. I just hope that he can draw on the resiliency that has made him such a great athlete to redirect this extreme disappointment into something positive. I'm sure he will, but I can't imagine how low he must be feeling at the moment.

 

[kittyjake5]

That was difficult to watch I wanted to give him a hug, Crud be damned. He said he had Worlds to look forward to but I doubt that is bringing him much comfort right now. Life can be so cruel.

 

[CaliSteve]

I cant watch. My heart goes out to him.

 

[Spun Silver]

And he's not even able to go out and try to enjoy the Olympic experience, or to get to a gym or rink where he can try to prepare for Worlds. I'm sure his clear focus and strength of character will carry him through, but what a painful collapse of his Olympic dream. My heart aches for him.

 

[Vash01]

He has shown his strength of mind at this difficult time. He will come back stronger, but right now my heart breaks for him.

 

[CaliSteve]

He has shown his strength of mind at this difficult time. He will cone back stronger, but right now my heart breaks for him.

This is most likely his last Olympics.

 

[DreamSkates]

You can post well-wishes, hugs, and other support on his official website page. https://govincentzhou.com/profile-4/

 

[Wyliefan]

Does he still use that site? The last message on it is from 2014. Maybe just posting on his Instagram would be better?

 

[livetoskate]

I posted on his Instagram. How heartwarming to see messages from Kristi Yamaguchi, Johnny Weir, Brian Boitano and many other skaters too.

 

[Vash01]

This is most likely his last Olympics.

What are you talking about? He is 21 years old.

 

[Spun Silver]

His plan was to go back to Dartmouth and become a physicist or doctor or something.

 

[VGThuy]

His plan was to go back to Dartmouth and become a physicist or doctor or something.

Brown. And I don’t mean Jason.

 

[Plusdinfo]

Very unfortunate.

I haven't come across any mention of testing once athletes are there. Do they have to test daily? Did Vincent test because he noticed a symptom?

Maybe the bright side is that Vincent got to at least skate one program and get a medal as opposed to not even having that opportunity.

 

[Spikefan]

Vincent was just interviewed on Today. He is 99% asymptomatic and sounds like he is doing as well as he can. The hosts love him.

 

[vgerdes]

He has shown his strength of mind at this difficult time. He will come back stronger, but right now my heart breaks for him.

Mine too -- particularly since it seems he does not plan to continue after this season. Although he might change his mind given the way this competition ended for him.

Maybe the bright side is that Vincent got to at least skate one program and get a medal as opposed to not even having that opportunity.

He got an Olympic medal. Thousands of skaters aspire to that goal, and very few accomplish it. His heart may be broken right now, but he has much to be proud of.

 

[Spikefan]

Figure skater Vincent Zhou shares 'mixed bag of emotions' after positive COVID-19 test

Figure skater Vincent Zhou joins TODAY to talk about his recent COVID-19 positive test that forced him to withdrawal from the men’s individual competition. Zhou talks about how he is feeling physically as well as his future skating career, saying he hopes to compete for Team USA in the World...

www.today.com

Here is the interview.

 

[Vash01]

Of course Vincent will need a lot of time to digest and overcome what happened. However, he is just 21. I hope he will return to competition and become the best skater he can be. School is important but he could do it even after 25. Once skating is on hold or gone, it is gone forever. I would love to see him give himself a chance.