View this post on Instagram
Gus Kenworthy has revealed that he’s experiencing ongoing health issues, including the long-term effects of Covid. It’s the reason he had to pull out of a contest in Colorado last week and has left him worried about his Olympic hopes. The Winter Games are due to take place in Beijing, China, in a couple of months.
Posting to Instagram, freestyle skier Kenworthy, 30, explained what’s been going on.
“Six weeks ago I got a pretty bad concussion while at a training camp in Switzerland. 🤕 Because I’ve had a few serious TBI’s (traumatic brain injuries) in recent years the seriousness of each added concussion has been stressed to me.
“I took two full weeks off and followed all of the SafeSport steps to return to snow. However only two days after getting back on skis I started feeling really sick: fever, chills, etc. I took a COVID test and to my surprise it was positive. Despite being fully vaccinated I had caught a breakthrough case.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“I checked into a hotel and did a 10-day self-isolated quarantine until I tested negative and was cleared to fly home.
“Unfortunately, in the weeks since, I’ve had some ongoing issues with my head. Any time I’ve tried to workout or gotten my heart rate up I’ve become very light-headed, disoriented and nauseous. I was worried it had to do with the concussion but I’ve consulted with specialists and because I had previously passed all the tests and was cleared to return to sport we think it’s more likely residual effects of COVID.
“I showed up in Copper last week for the first World Cup of the season and after the warm-up before the elimination round I once again felt dizzy and disoriented. I was just discussing what to do with my coach, @justin_dorey, when the starter called my name and said the judges were ready for me. I dropped in but felt completely lost in the air during the first trick in my run – the skiing equivalent to the “twisties”.
An athletics term for when a gymnast suffers a mental block during a performance, Simone Biles said she experienced the “twisties” when she felt forced to pull out of the Olympics last summer.
Related: Gus Kenworthy makes a splash on Greek vacation … and is that a new boyfriend?
“We decided to withdraw me from the event foregoing my second run or a chance in finals,” Kenworthy continued. “I have another competition coming up this week, the @dewtour [Dew Tour], but it’s still TBD whether I’ll be able to compete or in what capacity.
“With the Olympics less than two months away I’m incredibly frustrated but trying to stay positive and hopeful that this will pass. 🤞🏼Not sure what else I can do but wait. 🤷🏼♀️ Anyway, just wanted to keep y’all in the loop.
“Thanks in advance for the well wishes and if any of you have had experience with long COVID and have recommendations for things that have helped please let me know! Appreciate it. 🙏🏼”
Kenworthy represented the USA in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics. He won a silver medal at the 2014 event and came out as gay the following year. In 2019, he announced he was switching to Team GB for what he anticipated might be his final Olympics in 2022.
Kenworthy was born in Chelmsford, England. His family relocated to Colorado in the US when he was three. His mother is British and he holds a British passport.
He explained at the time, “Although I was raised in the US I was born in the UK and my mum is British through-and-through. She has been my #1 fan for my entire life and has proudly stood at the bottom of the mountain waving the stars and stripes in support of me for two Olympic cycles.
“Now, in what is sure to be my last Olympic appearance, I’d like to return the honor by proudly holding up the British flag for her.”
Related: Gus Kenworthy switches from team US to Great Britain for 2022 Olympics
ptn2719
Besides my clueless dad, does anyone actually still believe that being vaccinated will stop you from getting Covid? And people wonder why I’m still more or less in total seclusion…
Chrisk
Speaking of being clueless. It only helps your immune system fight it more effectively. It doesn’t stop you from being infected or spreading it to others though.
Stop buying into the right wing propaganda.
glennmcbride
The vaccine prevents a severe case of Covid. A small percentage of vaccinated people get Covid, but the majority have minor or symptomless cases and do not end up dead or in the hospital. Stay in seclusion because an unvaccinated person is a risk to everyone around them.
Heywood Jablowme
But the vaccine will almost certainly keep you out of the hospital! And if you do get Covid it’ll be mild. That’s the point.
If you’re in “seclusion” it doesn’t sound to me like you’re buying into right-wing propaganda, Are you afraid of something specific about the vaccine? It’s a pretty standard vaccine, like many others you’ve undoubtedly had already. Before the vaccine came along, I got sick with Covid and it’s not fun. If you want to avoid a bad case of Covid, which might include long-term side effects – or worse, hospitalization, intubation, death – please get vaccinated!
Bengali
Stop making a fool of yourself. I’m already going to report you for spewing false information and hopefully they shut down your account. People like you who refuse to believe in science are dangerous and countless deaths have occurred because of people just like you. Selfish and uncaring. Enjoy being deleted.
Billy12345
Vaccination gives one a 90-95% chance of getting Covid. OK.
That has been the word since the get-go.
Why have folks not caught on to that? They have said that a million times.
If you are in the 5-10% which gets a break through case, you will have a mild case not requiring hospitalization or Hospice.
This is clearly proved in that our full hospitals are 90-95% UN-Vaccinated Covid19 suffers.
Jaquelope
@Billy12345 : Did you proofread your comment before you hit “enter”, because it makes no sense.
A breakthrough case is one that someone gets if they are vaccinated but still catch a case of it. Your statement that, “Vaccination gives one a 90-95% chance of getting Covid… “, yet you have omitted the word “not” between “of” and “getting” because what you said about breakthrough cases is true, but it makes no sense with what you said previously about vaccination.
barryaksarben
It has been said from the very beginning that the vaccine is not 100% so there are people who will get COVID. WTF is wrong with people not understanding or believing in science and math. SHOCKING just how stupid so many people are
Mister P
I wish him well.
Hank31
“I’ve had a few serious TBI’s (traumatic brain injuries) in recent years”
Queerty reported a few days ago that this clown was posting on Instagram pics of himself in a women’s dress. Maybe getting conked on the head is what turned him into a transvestite. There are at least 2 known cases in the US and UK of radical gender presentation change following TBI.
Jaquelope
One picture, and he’s a transvestite? One time of crossdressing means little about transvestism, and he might have been going to a costume party, and if it was for Halloween, it could have simply been a costume.
A true transvestite does it over and over again. you need to find out what a transvestite is before you opine about it.
Heywood Jablowme
Two known cases? Incontrovertible proof!
Rudy Giuliani used to dress in drag a lot, he even hosted SNL in drag. But he hasn’t done it for a long time. Did he get conked on the head a second time? On wait that’s not a good example, Rudy has been probably been conked on the head dozens of times.
Cam
This particular screename of the right wing troll is OBSESSED with hating women, trans people, and fem gay guys.
So much deflection and projection. Sweetie, we all know what’s REALLY bothering you.
Creamsicle
@Jacquelope
One time is all it takes because masculinity is THAT fragile. It can be destroyed forever with a single act.
IWantAFullBeard
If you are on this site enough to know who is a troll and who changes their screen name, then newsflash, you are the troll.
Kevan1
Backwards idiot.
barryaksarben
the only clown here is you Hankie. Your trolling is laughably childish. GO try a YA site as maybe some of them will not see right thru you
Mister P
Your troll game is sad hanky
Essie
I don’t feel sorry for him at all. He is 30 years old and has spent probably 2/3 of his life falling on his head. He’s a fool. He needs to retire and take care of himself, before it’s too late.
SDR94103
shhh. you’re dumb.
barryaksarben
HE is a fool for being an athlete? WTF ? why so horribly judgemental? He chose a profession where he doesnt have to work for minimum age for 40 yrs so I think he chose wisely.
dhmonarch89
He’s been half assing it for years/since he came out. He spends 90% of his time doing celeb promotion, etc. He doesn’t train and to be Olympic level- you need to do more than 10%. Is he still trying to make the British team- because they’re a lot weaker in his event? Total douche move to rob a guy over there who’s actually been working for it.
Openminded
I can’t put my finger on it, but it rubs me a little wrong that he’s switching flags. The Olympics has always been huge about representing one’s country, very much like military servicemen protect their country. I wouldn’t necessarily trust a military man who switched his allegiance to a different country and likewise, it makes me question this Olympian’s allegiance to any country.
Cam
Except that is exactly the opposite of what the Olympics is about. Everyone competing together, putting all of the hate or troubles aside to have this event.
I like how you keep trying to make this screename different from the other ones you have, but you still keep slipping up
Creamsicle
I’m with Cam on this one. The point of the Olympics is that sport is a peaceful competition that allows nations to set aside their differences and bond over the drama of sport. If you’re watching the Olympics and only caring about national pride, then you’ve missed and perverted the entire spirit of the games.
IWantAFullBeard
The Olympics are competed on by nation. The winner has their nations anthem broadcasted. If it was really about pan-nationalism then why isn’t the entire thing conducted by athletes not representing a country and only speak in Esperanto?
Of course the Olympics are about national pride.
BDAguy
Truly sorry that he’s having health issues, regardless of anything else; he’s young and “in shape” physically so the head injuries are worrying. That said, the whole switching from team USA and some of his other antics – the Colton Underwood business; the never-ending instagram show of exotic locales and “look at me, I’m a gay icon, or should be” – smack of opportunism and somewhat craven personal gain. Perhaps more rest, introspection and less being a one man circuit party would serve him better.
hansniemeijer
China has a bad record on human rights. It is better to boycott the Winter Games