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Beijing and Bust: My 2022 Journey with Vincent Zhou | by Tom Zakrajsek
Beijing and Bust
My 2022 Journey with Vincent Zhou
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BY TOM ZAKRAJSEK MFP, CP, CG
Yes, as you might have imagined, it did feel like everything had busted apart when I left Beijing after the men’s individual event three months ago. I was numb as I boarded a jumbo jet with only Tracy Wilson, Brian Orser, and four other passengers who were snowboarders from Team USA. We were spaced far apart being served by flight attendants in hazmat suits, Air China’s COVID protocol. After arriving in Tokyo, I sat in the United lounge and Tracy and Brian did their best to comfort me during our layover. I am sure they could tell I was in shock. Two-time Olympian Vincent Zhou (’18 and ’22) was in quarantine because he had tested positive for COVID-19 eight hours after the men’s team event long program. His dreams for an Olympic individual medal were squelched. After a hard, long cry and being consoled by team manager Mitch Moyer, and team leaders Deveny Deck and Kathleen Cutone, as well as Dr. Kristin Abbott and Dr. Caroline Silby, I was still trying to figure out how everything he had worked so hard for—and I had worked so hard for—ended just like that. Like a light switch being turned off.
A gut punch like no other followed by a feeling of extreme emptiness. It was like a phantom limb. The opportunity felt like it was still there, but it wasn’t.
The seven stages of grief as documented by Iris Lin and Nhi Huynh would follow in the month leading up to the World Championships in France and even though Vincent, myself, and Drew Meekins were aware of them impacting our thoughts and decisions—heck our everyday lives, it didn’t help very much at all. Mie Hamada, whom we consulted with on a weekly basis, offered consistent support to me. Every time we FaceTimed, she kept saying, “You are doing a good job.” Her words offered much needed reassurance because I really felt like I had no idea what my job was anymore.
Eleven months prior, the devastation of Vincent missing the short program cut at the 2021 World Championships in Sweden had created a renewed approach to his Olympic season with the pandemic seeming to ease and training returning to normal. Everything Vincent did on and off the ice had been coordinated to produce spectacular on ice training witnessed by all of the skaters, coaches, and employees in the Broadmoor World Arena Ice Hall, as well as those who saw Vincent compete in his early events: Broadmoor Open and Cranberry Cup. He was not only returning to form but he was better than ever.
Likewise, his win at Nebelhorn Trophy in September, where he secured the three men’s Olympic spots that he had put in jeopardy added to a momentum that culminated in Vincent winning his first Grand Prix medal and first GP gold medal at Skate America in Las Vegas one month later. By then the figure skating media were talking about a possible individual Olympic medal for Vincent. That made sense since he previously won bronze at Worlds in 2019 and had just beaten three-time World Champion Nathan Chen and reigning Olympic silver medalist Shoma Uno. I only describe this scenario because the lead up to the Olympics is as intense as is reaching the Olympic podium. It takes momentum and a lot of convincing ahead of time in addition to delivering the performances in the moment. We were riding the wave and then…
Vincent got very, very sick after Skate America in the lead up to his second Grand Prix, NHK. At the time I was concerned it was COVID but every test he took – and he took a lot of them – were negative and of course entering Japan is not easy (still to this day) so I was relieved that he could compete there. Despite having lost a lot of training time which showed in his long program performance, I was grateful he finished in second place.
When I arrived stateside, my first two phone calls at LAX were to Frank Carroll and John Nicks. I knew Vincent’s chances of reaching the Olympic podium were higher than they had ever been now that he had won his second GP medal and qualified for his first GP final. I wanted their advice. They would know better than any other U.S. coaches. They were encouraging, clear, and adamant about what needed to happen. Team Vincent was already doing many of the things they recommended but their unique individual insights were welcomed and reassuring. I relayed them to the team and we resumed course.
The first emotional blow came when Omicron raged and the GPF was postponed (it was canceled in the lead up to nationals and that was even harder to take). We had just been in Japan, where the final was to be held, four days before Omicron took over the world. How could this be? Damn that COVID! Qualifying for the GPF is not easy and this was Vincent’s fourth try and he had finally made it. He was one of the six best, most consistent men in the world. He could earn valuable points for the short program seeding at the Olympics but it was not to be.
Our journey continued through the holidays and once again Omicron began to shift testing protocols and policies. Vincent was training very well going into nationals and his practices in Nashville were great, culminating in a career and personal best short program on his way to earning a berth on his second Olympic team. Many have asked me about the disappointment of his long program performance but I really don’t see it that way. I have been on a journey with Vincent since I began working with him in May of 2015 and as he said to the media, he wasn’t going to show up at nationals without attempting to win it. His planned program content which featured two quadruple Lutzes, one in the second half was ambitious but well in line with his goals and how he had been training. Don’t get me wrong, when an athlete performs below training it is a major bummer but if you consider how many top athletes in other sports aren’t perfect and have off competitions, well that’s sometimes how it goes. The most important thing is to learn from every experience and build on it. We left Nashville with many lessons learned and the main mission accomplished: Vincent’s consistent competition season had earned him a coveted spot in the team event. We were now headed to Los Angeles for some pre-Olympic training.
The week in LA was a tense one. It’s hard to express the daily anxiety associated with passing strict COVID test hurdles in order to board the Delta charter flight to Beijing. However, the send-off arranged by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, which featured airport check in at the hotel the night before, a private bus ride to the plane on the tarmac as well as a red carpet walk was a unique experience and so very, very cool. Talk about feeling like a rockstar! Our hopes and spirits were raised.
We knew ahead of time the Olympics in Beijing would be uncomfortable and different than any other. United States Figure Skating and the USOPC officials had prepared us for that in the summer of 2021. We also knew the protocols would be even more strict than they were for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo but we were grateful they were happening and not postponed for a year.
I have been to four Olympics now and each one has had their own challenges:
• 2010– extra security due to worldwide terror: Iraq war ending, North Korea attacking a South Korean ship, ongoing terror threats in Paris killing foreigners
• 2014– Russia/Chechnyan fighting and bomb threats
• 2018– North Korea firing missiles at Japan and threatening the U.S.
• 2022– COVID-19
Of course, in hindsight, Vincent’s positive test explained a lot about his long program performance in the team event. Though disappointing, it was clearly a strong effort considering the circumstances. And he had helped the team secure a silver medal. But not competing in the individual event was devastating and it would get worse with the Kamila Valieva doping scandal and the team being denied their medal ceremony and then Vincent being nominated to carry the Team USA flag but also being denied by the local Chinese government officials from participating in the closing ceremony even though he was negative and out of quarantine.
I had arrived back in the states one week before Vincent did. Audrey Weisiger immediately texted me, “You must be strong for him. Keep his spirits up.” Important advice, but not easy to figure out how to do.
At first, Vincent seemed ok. He returned to the ice, and training and things appeared to be going back to normal. But one day things changed—understandably.
Many people have died from COVID. Vincent’s experience wasn’t that. While I knew we should be grateful Vincent was able to at least participate and earn an Olympic team medal, the invisibleness of COVID can play games with your mind.
Julie Morris McKinney and Diane Miller, who was visiting her granddaughter in Denver, saw us training at South Suburban because we lost ice at the World Arena Ice Hall due to the Synchronized Skating Championships and offered much needed encouragement. I still remember their positive vibes and energy about the World Championships but I am not sure how I responded to it. See that’s the thing with grief. It hits you in weird moments and you sometimes feel trapped in a bubble that you can’t get out of—sure that nobody around you can even comprehend your feelings.
USOPC psychologist Sean McCann was an amazing savior to us all. His words were calm and clear, and reflecting back, his knack for listening and his basic observations helped the most. Sean would eventually tell me he had worked with athletes at 16 Olympic Games and nothing like what happened to Vincent had ever happened to any athletes he knew. It’s not like being injured and trying to manage it or crashing on a course, the consequences of a positive COVID test are hurtful and hard to comprehend, especially if you don’t really feel that sick. From the beginning, China’s zero tolerance COVID approach was very different from any other country in the world and in the lead up to the Games, while the rest of the world had already begun easing COVID restrictions, China became even more strict. Ironically, Vincent could have had a bad case of the flu and still been in control of his destiny and chosen to compete.
Many have speculated about how Vincent got COVID because he was so very careful. Several people have warned about going down the conspiracy rabbit hole and they are right. It goes nowhere and it’s useless. But one question lingers: since China is so strict with their testing and contract tracing, why couldn’t they release the details of his positive test? They have the information.
I always say when I am asked about the Olympics, that the gathering of people from all sports around the world, the intense media coverage, the camaraderie, and all of the various ceremonies make it feel like a giant party that anyone would want to attend. But Beijing was NOT like that. My daily routine went something like this:
• Wake up and shower
• Gargle with Listerine for two minutes
• Check body temperature with my personal thermometer
• Double mask with N95
• Recheck temperature outside the hotel testing room
• Take COVID test
• Recheck temperature outside the hotel breakfast room
• Eat breakfast
• Recheck temperature in the hotel lobby
• Go through security (like an airport) to board bus to rink
• Exit the bus
• Pass through an infrared temperature screen to enter the arena
• Practice
• Pass through an infrared temperature screen to enter the bus
• Arrive at the hotel
• Recheck temperature in the lobby
• Remove masks in the room
• Shower
• Gargle with Listerine for two minutes
• Order room service delivered by a robot
• Sleep
• Wake up and repeat
Once inside the bubble, there was little to no traveling to other venues and or watching athletes compete in other sports. Even if your schedule allowed, choosing to do that put you at risk of possible exposure. Being in a mask 24-7 is not fun and that was essentially what daily life was like at the Olympics.
To say Vincent’s bronze medal performances at the 2022 World Championship in Montpellier, France were redemption for him is very accurate. Only those in our inner circle know exactly why and how he achieved what he did. As Vincent said to me, when we were enjoying a travel moment at the Denver International Airport on the Front Range observation platform which I was filming and wanted to post, “Not everything is for social media.” And he was right. Some things are meant to be held close to one’s heart and not shared. This article is a partial representation of my reflections on our shared experience and should not be interpreted as me speaking for Vincent. He has his own story to tell. What I will say is that what Vincent began and we shared in Beijing continued in France. He did things his way—in every aspect of his preparation, practicing, and competing.
A special mention of Professional Skaters Association Hall of Fame coaches and my colleagues at the WAIH Christy Krall and Janet Champion is necessary. Christy offered me and Vincent a spiritual path to the peace of mind we needed in the lead up to world championships, while Janet sent a special e-mail to both Vincent and I while we were in France. Their support meant the world to me and offered a guiding light to a course which helped me feel much more confident while facing the biggest obstacle: the unknown.
What I learned about why I coach and what my role is as a coach has changed dramatically since the Games and can be summed up this way: sometimes settling for 100% of 80% or 100% of 25% or 100% of 5% or 100% of 0%--if that’s all someone can give--is just fine.
Ultimately, success is not only about the medal, but it is knowing that you have peace of mind because you gave 100% each day with goodness in your heart in order to do everything you could to help and to support someone. That’s what I did for Vincent Zhou for an entire season.
Finally, besides the support from my family, I don’t think I could have managed the stress, uncertainty, and doubt without the community of PSA coaches who offered their wisdom, support, and encouragement at critical times throughout the season.
My coaching journey continues…
Tom Zakrajsek (pronounced Za-cry-sheck) has been coaching figure skating in the United States since 1990. He has coached many regional, sectional, national and international champions, including US Champions Bradie Tennell-2021, Max Aaron-2013 (9 years), Rachael Flatt-2010 (for 11 years), Ryan Bradley-2011 (for 22 years) and Jeremy Abbott2009 (for 10 years). In all, his 21 national champions have won 25 titles. Most recently, his skaters include 2022 Olympian Vincent Zhou, 2019 Korean Ladies Champion Young You and 2019 World Junior Bronze Medalist Ting Cui. Tom graduated from the University of Denver with a degree in Journalism and English. In 2001, he received his master’s degree in exercise science from the University of Colorado-CS. In 1999, Tom was named USFS Developmental Coach of the Year. In 2009, Tom was named PSA Coach of the Year. In 2018, Tom was awarded the Order of Ikkos from the USOPC for his coaching excellence with Mirai Nagasu at the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeong Chang, South Korea. Tom has published four e-workbooks: Basic Training 101: Periodization Principles for Figure Skaters, Go For The Goal!, Come Skate With Us: How To Practice Figure Skating and Perfect Your Process: How To Practice Figure Skating Vol. 2 They are available on his website CoachTomZ.com.
