- Title: ITALY: Tearful U.S. figure skater Michelle Kwan pulls out of Winter Olympics.
- Date: 15th February 2006
- Summary: TURIN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 12, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN PETER UEBERROTH SPEAKING: "Good morning the United States Olympic Committee announces today that five-times U.S. champion Michelle Kwan has made a decision to withdraw from the 2006 Olympic Winter Games due to a new injury." REPORTERS PHOTOGRAPHERS MICHELLE KWAN WALKS ONTO STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHELLE KWAN SPEAKING: "It's always tough, the first practice at the Olympics, just try to get your feet under you and when I did the triple flip it just didn't feel right, but immediately I didn't think 'Oh this is going to be bad, I can't skate after this,' but after physio, after I sat down after treatment and later in the day it just got worse and worse, it's not something that will just go away right now, so I don't think in my heart that I can be at my best and I have to be honest and I have to make a decision." WIDE SHOT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHELLE KWAN SPEAKING: "It's always an honour to represent your country, and my parents are here, they arrived last night and they always want me to be happy, for their baby to win the gold you know, and make my dreams come true but I learned it's not about the gold, it's about the spirit of it and the sport itself so I have no regrets, I tried my hardest and if I dont win the gold, its OK, I had a great career, I have been very lucky and this is a sport, and its beautiful." WIDE SHOT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHELLE KWAN SPEAKING: "It's physical pain that is keeping me from performing and skating, but it's also emotional that I had to make a decision and it's a tough decision." KWAN LEAVES NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 2nd March 2006 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA5KIRD9W58U5DQRA85SLQV8MFQ
- Story Text: American Michelle Kwan made a numbed and tearful departure after pulling out of the Winter Olympics on Sunday (February 12) with a groin injury. A five-times world and nine-times U.S. champion, Kwan's hopes of capturing the elusive Olympic gold in Turin ended when she picked up a groin strain while attempting a triple jump on Saturday during a practice session at the Palaghiaccio rink.
"It's always tough, the first practice at the Olympics, just try to get your feet under you and when I did the triple flip it just didn't feel right, but immediately I didn't think Oh this is going to be bad, I can't skate after this, but after physio, after I sat down after treatment and later in the day it just got worse and worse, it's not something that will just go away right now, so I dont think in my heart that I can be at my best and I have to be honest and I have to make a decision."
Kwan, who won silver in Nagano in 1998 and a bronze four years later in Salt Lake City, told a news conference. Kwan was assessed by a U.S. team doctor Jim Moeller at 0115 GMT on Sunday in the athletes' village and his evaluation left her with little option but to withdraw.
"It's always an honour to represent your country, and my parents are here, they arrived last night and they always want me to be happy, for their baby to win the gold you know and make my dreams come true but I learned its not about the gold, its about the spirit of it and the sport itself so I have no regrets, I tried my hardest and if I dont win the gold, its OK, I had a great career, I have been very lucky and this is a sport, and its beautiful."
Kwan's withdrawal will allow Emily Hughes, 17, sister of 2002 Olympic champion Sarah Hughes, to participate in the women's competition which begins on Feb. 21. Hughes finished third at last month's U.S. nationals but was controversially left out of the Olympic team when Kwan received a medical waiver to participate at the Games despite missing the nationals with a previous groin injury. "It's physical pain that is keeping me from performing and skating, but it's also emotional that I had to make a decision and it's a tough decision."
Kwan, one of the most recognisable athletes in the United States, had barely skated over the past season as she struggled with her problems. Desperate to win the one accolade missing from her collection, she had to prove her fitness to a team of experts on Jan. 27 before she was given the green light to compete at the Olympics.
But less than 30 hours after the Games opened in Turin, her hopes were dashed. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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