TORINO, Italy (AP) -- Michelle Kwan dropped out of the Torino Games on Sunday morning because of a groin injury, bringing her quest for that elusive Olympic gold to its most disappointing end yet.
Kwan cut short her first practice at the games Saturday after aggravating the groin injury. Though she said she didn't want to drop out, the injury worsened as the day went on. After being evaluated early Sunday by Dr. Jim Moeller, she decided to withdraw.
"Taking myself off the team is the most difficult decision I've ever had to make,'' Kwan said in a release, "but it's the right decision. This injury prevents me from skating my best, and I've said all along that if I couldn't skate to the level that I expected from myself I'd withdraw from the team.
"The Olympics is the greatest sporting event in the world and what's most important is that the United States fields the strongest team possible. As much as I'd love to represent the United States in Torino, I would never stand in the way of that.''
The U.S. Olympic Committee has asked to replace Kwan with Emily Hughes, the third-place finisher at last month's national championships. A response was expected later this week, and Hughes was to travel to Torino on Sunday.
"If they call me, I'm ready. Just point me in the direction and I'm there,'' Hughes told WNBC-TV in New York in an interview on Saturday.
Kwan missed last month's U.S. nationals with a groin injury, and needed a medical bye onto the Torino team. Moeller said Sunday he does not believe the current injury is related to the groin problem Kwan had during the national championships.
This was to be the last chance at an Olympic gold for the 25-year-old Kwan, the face of figure skating for the last decade. Though she won five world championships and nine U.S. titles, she always came up short at the Olympics, winning a silver medal in 1998 and a bronze in 2002.
Kwan was expected to appear at a news conference later Sunday morning in Torino.
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
抢沙发
千斤顶
显身卡
