Posted on 01/27/2006 8:11:09 AM PST by commish
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- Michelle Kwan's task is simple.
Prove she's healthy enough to skate, and her quest for that elusive Olympic gold medal can continue. Appear to still be hobbled or ailing, and that dream is likely over.
The "Should she or shouldn't she?'' debate that's swirled around U.S. figure skating all month will finally be resolved Friday. A five-person monitoring committee will watch her do her short and long programs on her home ice in Los Angeles, and determine whether she's fit and healthy enough to compete.
Kwan will do run-throughs of her short and long programs for the committee.
If she is, she's on her way to Torino. If not, she'll have to watch again as someone else gets that gold medal she's sought for so long.
"If I feel that I can't be ready, I will pull myself off the team,'' Kwan said earlier this month. "I've said that before and I'm sticking to it. If I don't believe I can be 100 percent and at my best, I don't believe it's good for me to go.''
Kwan was the gold-medal favorite for both Nagano and Salt Lake City, but wound up beaten by an American teenager both times. She won a silver in Nagano in 1998 and a bronze in Salt Lake City in 2002.
Now 25, she's stuck around the last four years for one more shot at an Olympic gold medal.
But the five-time world and nine-time U.S. champion had to ask for a medical bye onto the team after withdrawing from nationals with a groin injury. Her petition was granted -- with the condition that she prove to the monitoring committee Friday that she's ready to compete in Torino.
Though she's set the gold standard for the sport for a decade, she missed almost the entire season with injuries and didn't jump from mid-December until Jan. 13. At her only competition, a made-for-TV international, she didn't complete a single triple jump.
The monitoring committee will want to see that she can jump and spin, as well as do her short and long programs.
The session is scheduled to start late in the morning at the East West Ice Palace in Artesia, Calif., her home rink, and Kwan will do her short program first. After a break, she'll come back and do her long program.
The session will be conducted by U.S. Figure Skating international committee chairman Bob Horen; technical controller Charlie Cyr; world judge Paula Naughton; international judge Lorrie Parker; and athlete representative Brittney Bottoms. Though she won't be scored as if in competition, Horen said she wouldn't be given a pass, either.
"I will assure you, the monitoring committee will be as tough as the judges were (at nationals),'' Horen said.
If the committee decides Kwan isn't healthy enough to skate, she will be replaced by Emily Hughes, the younger sister of 2002 Olympic champion Sarah Hughes. Emily Hughes finished third at nationals.
The sessions are closed to the public.
The Associated Press was offered one of two spots in a reporting pool to watch Kwan's performance but declined because of conditions imposed by U.S. Figure Skating.
Pool reporters would be prohibited from reporting what they witnessed at the sessions for several hours, until after the panel announced its decision on whether Kwan could join the Olympic team. Figure skating officials also insisted that the pool reporters agree not to write a column about Kwan's performance for 24 hours.
"The AP couldn't agree to either of these restrictions,'' sports editor Terry Taylor said. "Her skating is news and the embargo amounted to a news blackout. As for when a column is written, we believe that's for us to decide.''
David Raith, executive director of U.S. Figure Skating, was not immediately reachable for comment by telephone.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
"You'll get nothing and like it!" - Judge Smails
I could never stand Kwan. I don't know why.
Sarah Hughes deserved the Gold in 02, and Kwan should consider herself lucky to have pulled Silver after her dismal performance. I was very chagrined that flash in the pan, one and done Tara Lipinski beat her in 98.
I really like Sasha Cowen, although she looks like she is a spoiled little Beeyatch off the ice -- she is the first skater in a long time with a style and grace on the ice like Kwan.
Cohen also brings the athletic jumping package to the table too. Sasha's biggest problem however is that she always seems to lose focus at some point in her routines. She will be absolutely breathtaking and then make some bonehead routine killing mistake near the end.
UGH - I meant BRONZE. DOH! her silver was in 98.
My wife and daughters just love her to death. I hope she makes the team and takes it all the way home, but I also know that she is such a real champion, that if she cannot compete at the level she thinks she needs to be, then she will withdraw from the competition. Good person, good skater, and a fine young American.
Wish her best!
Although, at her age, it would be a miracle.
Sad to say, but Kwan at 25 is a woman competing in a girls game. It's the same for gymnasts. It's a strength to weight ratio kinda thing. Mature women, in general, lack the explosiveness to compete in these events. I would favor upping the minimum age, or creating divisions by age. It's ridiculous to treat a collegiate gymnast as "over the hill" for international competition.
That has...GOT...to be a fake name. If it ain't, the lady missed her very obvious calling involving a pole and fake fingernails.
Michelle's artistic programs are always wonderful to watch. Her gracefulness on the ice is unmatched. However, like you stated she's never been a very athletic jumper.
I'm very interested in what the verdict will be today.
Sarah Hughes deserved the Gold in 02, and Kwan should consider herself lucky to have pulled Silver after her dismal performance. I was very chagrined that flash in the pan, one and done Tara Lipinski beat her in 98.
I really like Sarah and think she has a great chance at the gold. She's a very humble young lady off the ice too.
Tara Lipinski was annoying off the ice and over-animated on the ice, but she proved what it took to win gold.
Thanks in advance :)
Well, AP, I see your face, but you seem to have removed your nose....
Exactly.
Michelle is so likable and genuine it's hard not to hope she is granted that one last chance to bring the gold home.
I'd be interested in finding out too... I just saw this on TV and hadn't known it was going on.
THe release did not say if that was 3:30 local (PT) or 3:30 ET, but I would imagine it is 3:30 Pacific Time.
Great. Thanks for the info. Keep me posted :)
Sarah is not competing, she won the gold in 2002 so two American teens have beaten Kwan for Olympic gold. Sarah's little sister, Emily won third in the Nationals and Kwan didn't skate because of a groin injury but yet she wanted a spot on the American team and she bumped young Emily off the team. Kwan has two chances at Olympic Gold and she failed. I think it is time to let someone else skate. I also don't appreciate Kwan's attitude.....she thought she should decide whether she was well enough to skate.
Kwan has been declared healthy enough to skate in 2006 Olympics.
Pinging you to post 19
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.