Vincent Zhou took home the bronze medal at the 2022 Figure Skating World Championships, his second time bagging third at this competition. He had a similar result in 2019, but last season Zhou fell to 25th, unable to even make the free skate.

At this recent victory, Zhou had an emotional reaction when he realized he was going home with a medal. His friend and teammate Camden Pulkinen was comforting through this incredible moment for Zhou.

Vincent Zhou caught COVID during the Olympics

The 2022 World Championships were the last major international senior event of the season. Barely over a month after the Beijing Olympics, emotions were still running high for the skaters and fans alike. Team USA won silver in the team event where Zhou ranked third in his segment, adding eight team points.

However, Zhou received a positive result for his COVID test and had to pull out of the individual men’s event. This came as quite a shock to Zhou, who wasn’t allowed to participate in the closing ceremony either. In light of these events, Zhou decided to prioritize his mental health and eventually went back to training. In an interview, Zhou expressed how he wasn’t quite sure he was up for returning to the world stage yet.

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“The only thing that got me on the plane was the thought that I didn’t want to live with the regret that I didn’t even try,” Zhou said.

“Was on the Verge of..”: US Star Vincent Zhou Opens Up on Mental Health Issues Post Beijing Olympics Setback

Zhou’s experience at Worlds

The Championships had become quite a free-for-all event with the withdrawal of both Yuzuru Hanyu and Nathan Chen. The next in line for the favor of the medal were Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama and Shoma Uno, who had a 2-3 finish at the Olympics. In the short program, Zhou placed sixth after under-rotating both of his quad attempts, almost six points out of third place.

He was in the final group of men taking the ice in the free skate, and with no position on the podium to defend, it was up in the air how Zhou would approach his free program. Though Zhou had several under rotations in the free skate as well, he placed fourth in that segment and won the third spot on the podium right behind Uno and Kagiyama. Zhou claims this to be more of a personal victory for him, given his journey leading up to this competition.

“I’d say this one was more of a personal victory for me… definitely much more character growth came with this one,” he claimed. “If I didn’t do well at Worlds, a lot of people would just remember me as that guy who got COVID at the Olympics and everything went downhill after that.”

Winning that bronze became a turning point for Zhou, helping him finish the season on a good note. Right now, Zhou is touring the country with the “Stars On Ice” crew amongst fellow skaters like Nathan Chen.

WATCH THIS STORY: Nathan Chen Shares Beautiful Figure Skating Moments In Japan With His “Fav People” Including Alysa Liu, Vincent Zhou and Other Stars