Australian alpine skier Katie Parker has achieved her green and gold wish and competed at the Olympics after a turbulent 24 hours in Beijing.
It had looked like she would miss out on a Winter Olympic debut.
Parker battled COVID-19 last month and was forced to delay her arrival for the Games, missing the giant slalom when she was unable to produce two negative tests within the required time-frame for entry into the Olympic bubble.
She then tested positive with her airport arrival PCR test on Tuesday and it appeared that her chances of an Olympic debut were in ruins, with the slalom on Wednesday.
But a secondary test cleared the 23-year-old, although she found it tough going at Tanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre.
She was unable to complete the first run, ended her competition.
She wasn't alone as 30 skiers bombed out, including American two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin.
Chef de mission Geoff Lipshut said it was a huge relief that Parker was allowed to compete.
"We are thrilled for her after a very difficult ride," Lipshut said from Zhangjiakou.
"It's a big ask for her today to step up to this level of competition off the back of this whole experience, but she has shown incredible mental toughness and determination.
"She stepped onto that plane knowing there was a real possibility she may be positive at the other end, but here we are this morning waking up to news that further resting has come in negative."
Based in Utah, Parker contracted the virus last month and was unable to train on the snow for the past two weeks.
The Olympic test regime has a lower threshold for a positive test than in Australia or the US.
Australian curler Tahli Gill, who had COVID-19 in December, continued to produce positive and negative results while in Beijing.
The four-person alpine team was already without Madison Hoffman, who suffered a knee injury while competing last month.
