Advertisement
Nine-time U.S. national champion Michelle Kwan announced her withdrawal today from next week's nationals. pulled right groin muscle. She will petition the U.S. Figure Skating International Committee to be placed on the Olympic team. Kwan sustained a groin injury on December 17, 2005 and has had limited ice time since then. She will resume her regular training on January 13th. The winners of the events will automatically be placed on the Olympic team. The other two lady competitors will be chosen based on past performances.
In a somewhat tense press conference, both Kwan and the executive director of U.S. Figure Skating fielded probing and repetitive questions from the media. Kwan explained, "After skating in Marshall's, it felt like I was heading on the right track, but after about a week I pulled my groin and haven't been the same since. Doctor's orders is not to jump until the 13th. The good news is that my hip is doing well and I'm capable of being well in time for the Olympics.
Kwan is disappointed that she will not be able to compete at Nationals. She has competed in the senior event every year since 1993, when she finished sixth. Instead, she will stay at home, continue with phsyical thrapy, and work on her footwork and transitions. She said she will watch the national championships on television and cheer on her skating friends who are competing.
"I believe that I will be 100% for the Olympics, and I feel that I have a shot to win. I will show that I'm ready. I want to be 100% at the Olympics," she said confidently.
Kwan is not worried that her injuries might worsen. "My doctor says they're unrelated. I'm very optimistic that my groin injury will improve. I've been skating, doing run-throughs with no jumps," she said. "You have to listen to your body." A reporter asked Kwan if she might try to compete at the Four Continents, an international competition that will take place at the end of January in Colorado Springs. Kwan was not sure, responding that she hadn't even thought of Four Continents until someone brought it up today.
Kwan repeated that she felt back on track after her hip injury healed late last fall. "I saw the doctor on Friday, and it's gotten a lot better since then. I should be ready to be jumping on the 13th."
Kwan was asked if she might feel some guilt about bumping off a younger skater off the Olympic team. She replied that she hoped that the international committee chooses the top best three skaters in America. In 1994, Kwan came in second to Tonya Harding at nationals, but Nancy Kerrigan, who was healing from having her knee whacked, was chosen to go to the Olympics. Kwan went to Lillehamer, Norway as a spectator and alternate.
"It is sort of ironic that the last person bumped off the team was me in '94 ... but I want to petition because I feel that I will be 100% when the Olympics come around." In reminiscing about the 1994 Olympic season, Kwan recalled, "In '94, I was very young, and I skated very well at nationals.... I just knew Nancy [Kerrigan] deserved to go.... It's ironic now that I'm petitioning to get a spot on the team. I hope they will consider me as one of the top three skaters in America."
Kwan noted that most athletes suffer injuries and hers is not too serious. Kwan mentioned, "I've pulled my adductor before, and it was okay after a couple of weeks."
Kwan was asked if retirement has ever crossed her mind. She responded that she has a few times, "but not enough to set me back, because I love competing, and I think I have a shot to win. That is why I'm petitioning."
When asked about other skaters upping the technical difficulty of the sport, Kwan said she thought she was still competitive, because "it's not only one jump or only one spin-- its the whole package."
Kwan has been training in Lake Arrowhead as well as the East West Ice Palace in Artesia, California. She continues to be coached by Rafael Arutunian. She has had international judges give feedback on her programs in person. "I feel like my components are up to par," she said.
"I'm very disappointed that I will not be in St. Louis. A lot of fans sent me [information on] restaurants to go to, spots to go to," Kwan said of Nationals, which has been her favorite event. Of her fans, she said, "I hope they will cheer loud for all the skaters."
Another reporter brought up the retirement issue again. Kwan responded, "It's all back to one answer; I love to compete.... My desire, my love for competition and skating is always pulling me back, and I feel that I can win."
Getting back to the Marshall's competition in early December, Kwan said she had only been jumping and training normally for about two weeks before that competition. "I didn't have time to get everything together with the short program, but I wanted to perform it in front of people.... I was heading in the right direction, my hip was feeling really well, and now this.
"The selection process is not up to me. I have no control in who they select. As for me, I have to do my best. I feel my groin is feeling well, and I can start jumping [soon]."
U.S. Figure Skating Executive Director David Raith spent a long time answering questions about the Olympic team selection process, which is detailed at www.usfigureskating.org/content/...dures.pdf .
The International Committee meets January 13 and January 14 in St. Louis, at the arena after each event is finished, to choose the Olympic team members. They will have until January 30th to submit the athletes' names. "It'll be a very interesting meeting on the 14th," predicted Raith. The International Committee consists of 36 coaches, athletes, judges, and boardmembers. They each have one vote apiece and the decisions will be made based on a simple majority vote.
"They will not leave the room until they come out with a majority. [The vote will] take place right after the ladies event in the arena. Someone could be replaced between the 16th and the 30th when the USOC has to submit the final official names," Raith explained. "Their charge is to select the best team possible."
The organization will not be flying out anyone to observe Kwan's skating. Rather, a physician will verify that Kwan will be ready to compete by Feb. 21st, which is when the ladies' event begins at the Olympics in Turin, Italy.
One journalist noted that Peter Oppegard, who is Michelle Kwan's brother-in-law, is on the international committee. (Oppegard coaches pairs skaters Rena Inoue and John Baldwin.) Raith responded that Oppegard, the 1988 Olympic pairs bronze medalist with Jill Watson, would have to recuse himself from the committee, as would anyone else with a potential conflict of interest.
When asked to remark on Kwan, Raith said, "She's a tremendous champion.... She's been a great ambassador to the sport."
In a somewhat tense press conference, both Kwan and the executive director of U.S. Figure Skating fielded probing and repetitive questions from the media. Kwan explained, "After skating in Marshall's, it felt like I was heading on the right track, but after about a week I pulled my groin and haven't been the same since. Doctor's orders is not to jump until the 13th. The good news is that my hip is doing well and I'm capable of being well in time for the Olympics.
Kwan is disappointed that she will not be able to compete at Nationals. She has competed in the senior event every year since 1993, when she finished sixth. Instead, she will stay at home, continue with phsyical thrapy, and work on her footwork and transitions. She said she will watch the national championships on television and cheer on her skating friends who are competing.
"I believe that I will be 100% for the Olympics, and I feel that I have a shot to win. I will show that I'm ready. I want to be 100% at the Olympics," she said confidently.
Kwan is not worried that her injuries might worsen. "My doctor says they're unrelated. I'm very optimistic that my groin injury will improve. I've been skating, doing run-throughs with no jumps," she said. "You have to listen to your body." A reporter asked Kwan if she might try to compete at the Four Continents, an international competition that will take place at the end of January in Colorado Springs. Kwan was not sure, responding that she hadn't even thought of Four Continents until someone brought it up today.
Kwan repeated that she felt back on track after her hip injury healed late last fall. "I saw the doctor on Friday, and it's gotten a lot better since then. I should be ready to be jumping on the 13th."
Kwan was asked if she might feel some guilt about bumping off a younger skater off the Olympic team. She replied that she hoped that the international committee chooses the top best three skaters in America. In 1994, Kwan came in second to Tonya Harding at nationals, but Nancy Kerrigan, who was healing from having her knee whacked, was chosen to go to the Olympics. Kwan went to Lillehamer, Norway as a spectator and alternate.
"It is sort of ironic that the last person bumped off the team was me in '94 ... but I want to petition because I feel that I will be 100% when the Olympics come around." In reminiscing about the 1994 Olympic season, Kwan recalled, "In '94, I was very young, and I skated very well at nationals.... I just knew Nancy [Kerrigan] deserved to go.... It's ironic now that I'm petitioning to get a spot on the team. I hope they will consider me as one of the top three skaters in America."
Kwan noted that most athletes suffer injuries and hers is not too serious. Kwan mentioned, "I've pulled my adductor before, and it was okay after a couple of weeks."
Kwan was asked if retirement has ever crossed her mind. She responded that she has a few times, "but not enough to set me back, because I love competing, and I think I have a shot to win. That is why I'm petitioning."
When asked about other skaters upping the technical difficulty of the sport, Kwan said she thought she was still competitive, because "it's not only one jump or only one spin-- its the whole package."
Kwan has been training in Lake Arrowhead as well as the East West Ice Palace in Artesia, California. She continues to be coached by Rafael Arutunian. She has had international judges give feedback on her programs in person. "I feel like my components are up to par," she said.
"I'm very disappointed that I will not be in St. Louis. A lot of fans sent me [information on] restaurants to go to, spots to go to," Kwan said of Nationals, which has been her favorite event. Of her fans, she said, "I hope they will cheer loud for all the skaters."
Another reporter brought up the retirement issue again. Kwan responded, "It's all back to one answer; I love to compete.... My desire, my love for competition and skating is always pulling me back, and I feel that I can win."
Getting back to the Marshall's competition in early December, Kwan said she had only been jumping and training normally for about two weeks before that competition. "I didn't have time to get everything together with the short program, but I wanted to perform it in front of people.... I was heading in the right direction, my hip was feeling really well, and now this.
"The selection process is not up to me. I have no control in who they select. As for me, I have to do my best. I feel my groin is feeling well, and I can start jumping [soon]."
U.S. Figure Skating Executive Director David Raith spent a long time answering questions about the Olympic team selection process, which is detailed at www.usfigureskating.org/content/...dures.pdf .
The International Committee meets January 13 and January 14 in St. Louis, at the arena after each event is finished, to choose the Olympic team members. They will have until January 30th to submit the athletes' names. "It'll be a very interesting meeting on the 14th," predicted Raith. The International Committee consists of 36 coaches, athletes, judges, and boardmembers. They each have one vote apiece and the decisions will be made based on a simple majority vote.
"They will not leave the room until they come out with a majority. [The vote will] take place right after the ladies event in the arena. Someone could be replaced between the 16th and the 30th when the USOC has to submit the final official names," Raith explained. "Their charge is to select the best team possible."
The organization will not be flying out anyone to observe Kwan's skating. Rather, a physician will verify that Kwan will be ready to compete by Feb. 21st, which is when the ladies' event begins at the Olympics in Turin, Italy.
One journalist noted that Peter Oppegard, who is Michelle Kwan's brother-in-law, is on the international committee. (Oppegard coaches pairs skaters Rena Inoue and John Baldwin.) Raith responded that Oppegard, the 1988 Olympic pairs bronze medalist with Jill Watson, would have to recuse himself from the committee, as would anyone else with a potential conflict of interest.
When asked to remark on Kwan, Raith said, "She's a tremendous champion.... She's been a great ambassador to the sport."
posted by:
|
East Bay
|
Advertisement
Advertisement
