The sprint before the Games: A U.S. speedskater sidelined by Covid tests is on his way to Beijing.

Casey Dawson, a 21-year-old speedskater for the United States, is on his way to Beijing after testing requirements kept him in Salt Lake City as the Games got underway last week.

After testing positive for the coronavirus over three weeks ago, Dawson thought two consecutive negative tests would clear him to travel to Beijing. But last week he received notice from the U.S. Olympic Committee that four consecutive negative tests would be required and was forced to delay his departure.

He missed the 5,000-meter race — the first of two individual events he qualified in — but is hoping to land hours before the 1,500-meter event takes place, if all goes according to plan.

On Sunday, he began a journey across the globe that included a stop in Atlanta before a red-eye flight to Paris and another red-eye to Beijing.

In a video shared on Twitter, Dawson said he was trying to get some sleep on the flight to Paris. On Instagram, Dawson recently shared a video of him boarding his last leg to Beijing. Well-wishers are following along on social media and hoping he can pull it off, using the hashtag #GetCasey2Beijing.

It remains uncertain if Dawson will be able to get tested, pass through customs and reach the venue in time to compete, but he was determined to try in what may be the longest all-out Olympic sprint of his more than a decade-long career.

Dawson will also compete in the men’s speedskating team pursuit beginning on Feb. 13 with his teammates Emery Lehman and Joey Mantia, a medal-contending trio that broke the world record in the event in December.

“I’m preparing for us to do something great over there,” Dawson said in an interview from Salt Lake City on Friday.