Isabeau Levito withdraws from Four Continents because of illness

South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito was in medal contention going into Friday night’s free skate at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.

But she withdrew because of illness, U.S. Figure Skating said on Twitter.

Levito, who is from Mount Holly and trains in Mount Laurel, placed second in Thursday’s short program. The recently crowned U.S. champion was seen warming up backstage about a half-hour before she was due on the ice for her six-minute warmup. But when the other skaters went out to warm up, Levito was not there.

» READ MORE: South Jersey’s Isabeau Levito is just 15 — and she’s already a U.S. figure skating champion. Next up, the world?

The other skaters were confused.

As the skaters were announced in reverse order on center ice, a spot was left empty. Yelim Kim, who won the short program, looked around for Levito, before scrambling to take her bow.

As the skaters were getting off the ice after warmup, fellow American skater Amber Glenn asked, “What’s going on?”

Skating fans on Twitter had the same question.

Levito earned 71.50 in the short program to Kim’s 72.84. She lost one point for a time violation, meaning she skated a little past the allowed time. This can be an issue when music is edited very close to the time limit.

In Levito’s absence, Haein Lee from Korea, won gold. Kim, also from Korea, took silver. Mona Chiba, from Japan, earned the bronze.

Levito has been away from her New Jersey home for two weeks, going to directly from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, Calif., where she won the national title, to Colorado to train for a week leading up to this competition.

Her next event is the World Figure Skating Championships, March 20-26 in Saitma, Japan.