Slutskaya again falls far short of gold
TORINO, Italy (AP) -- As she stood stone-faced on the medals podium, Irina Slutskaya couldn't even manage a smile or a wave.
The bronze medal hanging around her neck must have felt like a lead weight.
For the second straight Olympics, the Russian star failed as the final skater of the women's free program. Both times, the
gold medal was within reach. Both times, she failed to grab it.
In Salt Lake City, though, she carried away silver and the hope of doing much better at these Games. There are no such
thoughts about 2010 and Vancouver.
"That's competition. It's pressure all the time,'' the 27-year-old Slutskaya said Thursday night after Shizuka Arakawa of
Japan won the Olympic's glamour event, with American Sasha Cohen taking silver. "You never know what can happen.
"I'm just happy what I got. There are some girls who came and competed and got 18th and 20th places. I'm happy I have
something.''
She didn't look it. Not even a glance.
While Arakawa and Cohen celebrated their achievements, sharing their joy with the audience, Slutskaya looked bored. Teary-
eyed when she skated out to receive the bronze medal, she barely reacted to the applause.
If bronze was precious to her, she hid it well.
"That's life again. We can't decide what we like,'' Slutskaya said.
Life has not been easy for Slutskaya in recent years. Her mother has kidney disease and requires dialysis treatment three
times a week. Slutskaya usually drives her to the doctor.
In 2004, Slutskaya was diagnosed with a heart ailment that sidelined her for almost the entire season. She even was told she
might never skate again, but last season she was back on the ice and swept past everyone.
"I'm so happy that I'm here because the last four years is really, really hard for me,'' she said.
A two-time world champion and winner of a record seven European titles, Slutskaya is a contemporary of five-time world champ
and nine-time U.S. gold medalist Michelle Kwan. Now, they both own Olympic silver and bronze.
Slutskaya said she missed competing against Kwan, who was sidelined by a groin injury. Then again, if Kwan had been healthy
this season and skated in Torino, who knows how things would have turned out.
"I was so upset Michelle doesn't come,'' Slutskaya said with a smile. "I was waiting for her.''
＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋
显身卡
