Austria's ski jumping World Cup leader Marita Kramer has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the Winter Olympics.

Kramer has finished on the podium in 13 of the last 14 individual World Cup events at which she has competed, winning 10 of those.

The women's ski jump event is due to take place next Saturday, February 5, at the Zhangjiakou venue.

It remains to be seen whether 20-year-old Kramer is able to take part, but the Austria Ski Federation (OESV) said it hoped she would still feature.

In a statement, the OESV said: "Despite the strictest conditions and all conceivable precautions, Marita Kramer tested positive for the COVID virus in the last routine PCR test before the planned departure for the Olympics. The goal remains to compete in the Olympic Games."

The international federation, FIS, said Kramer tested positive on Saturday and "has no symptoms and feels well".

She competed on Saturday at the World Cup event in Willingen, Germany. The Austrian team withdrew from the competition on Sunday.

Canada have reported five COVID-19 cases among their Winter Olympics delegation in Beijing.

The names of those infected have not been released, nor has it been specified whether those affected are athletes or support staff, or a combination of those.

The Beijing 2022 opening ceremony takes place on Friday, February 4, although curling begins two days earlier and freestyle skiing and ice hockey start on the eve of the Games.

The Canadian Olympic Committee said in a statement: "Currently five out of the 246 members of the Team Canada delegation in Beijing are in COVID-19 protocols.

"We are following the Beijing 2022 playbook rules. Part of our strategy was to arrive early to allow time for confirmation testing and, if necessary, the medical expert panel process to unfold.

"Because there will likely be persistent shedders among the delegation, we will not be sharing names at this time. Members of Team Canada's delegation include athletes, coaches and mission team."

Persistent shedders are those who have recovered from having the coronavirus and may no longer be contagious, but who still have remnants of the virus in their system.

The Beijing Games playbook for athletes is their guide to the Games, and it outlines COVID-19 rules, with those that test positive to be taken to a designated hospital if symptomatic, or to an isolation facility if showing no outward signs of the virus.

Canada has a rich tradition of success at the Winter Olympics, finishing third on the medal table at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The news comes a day after Norway's reigning Winter Olympics skiathlon champion Simen Hegstad Kruger was revealed to have tested positive.

Bobsledder Carrie Russell is on the mend from a horrific injury she suffered from a freak accident in training recently. However, she says she should be fine to begin competing once the bobsled season begins in November.

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