Michelle Kwan Injured, Will Petition for Olympic Team

Harry Mok
January 4, 2006

A groin injury is forcing figure skater Michelle Kwan to withdraw from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships but she will petition the U.S. federation for a spot at the Turin Olympics.

Contributor: 

Harry Mok

Editor in chief

Editor in Chief Harry Mok wrote about growing up on a Chinese vegetable farm for the second issue of Hyphen and has been a volunteer editor since 2004. As a board member of the San Francisco and New York chapters of the Asian American Journalists Association, Harry has recruited and organized events for student members. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was also a graduate student instructor in the Asian American Studies Department.

Comments

Comments

gs wrote on Sun, 02/12/2006 - 9:09am
why did she bother? she kneww she wasn't in top form and she hurt the chances of the others - she shouldn't have gone in the first place
realist wrote on Sun, 02/12/2006 - 3:54pm
I think it is FAR past time that Kwan step down. She never should have been allowed to go to the Turin Olympics in the first place, and I feel immense sympathy for Hughes, who was denied her rightful place on the team. Although Hughes will ultimately be allowed to skate, she is coming in now under circumstances that have been made all the more difficult by Kwan's refusal to withdraw from the U.S. team -- something Kwan undoubtedly knows. Moreover, Hughes has not been allowed to experience all aspects of Olympic competition, such as not being able to participate in the opening ceremonies, and she steps in now in Kwan's tarnished shadow. The Olympics is a chance of a lifetime, and Hughes has been robbed of many aspects of it. And all this because Kwan was too selfish to admit something she and everyone else knew long before now -- that she is not Olympic material now, and probably never has been.
Kioko wrote on Sun, 02/12/2006 - 4:01pm
I find it sad that she cam't compete at least once more for the gold. =/But she does need to step down.. i would have just loved to see her win the gold medal though...
KaRi wrote on Sun, 02/12/2006 - 7:30pm
Michelle was given the go ahead from her doctor and she hung in there. Wouldn't YOU? The 562 is rootingfor MK on & off the ice!
jane wrote on Sun, 02/12/2006 - 9:21pm
Wow. To realist: who the hell are you to make that statement? What have you ever done for your sport and your country? And do you know anything about figure skating at all?Rightful place? Where then is your outrage about Michelle Kwan being bumped off the 1994 team? She earned a place then, but she didn't get to keep it, because that's what the rules allow and that's what was decided. Michelle followed the rules. No one had to grant her petition. Nancy Kerrigan got a bye; Todd Eldredge got a bye, Jenni Meno and Todd Sand have received a bye. Direct your venom at them while you're at it, why don't you?As for Hughes having a tough time skating--she will arrive in plenty of time for the short program. Sasha Cohen only started to practice in Italy on Sunday, and Emily has been practicing at home for the world championships and because she was the alternate.Hey, Sasha Cohen skipped the opening ceremonies--so much for the value of that precious Olympic experience. Emily, and the rest of her family have stated their support for Michelle throughout this process, and Emily has said that she doesn't mind having missed any part of the Olympics. She hasn't asked for and doesn't need your sympathy.And if Emily's chances were diminished, which I don't agree that they were, what the heck makes you think she was ever capable of medaling? She can't beat Sasha Cohen, who can't beat Irina Slutskaya. She hasn't even consistently beaten Kimmie Meissner. She has less international experience and has accomplished far less than her older sister Sarah did by the last Olympics.And Michelle not being Olympic material? What garbage. She's got two Olympic medals under her belt, which is two more than Sasha, Kimmie and Emily have. If you think only gold matters, that's one thing. But unlike Sasha, who crashed and burned harder than anyone at Salt Lake City by finishing fourth, Michelle is and always will be an Olympic medalist, and world and national champion many times over.Selfish? I think the most amazing thing about her is that she always went to compete in the worlds competition, even though gold medalists like Tara Lipinski and Sarah Hughes bailed out after the Olympics. Did you know that? She did that, not because she had to, but for her sport and for her country.It's sad that people can't be grateful for what Michelle gave to her sport and her country, and instead make up imaginary reasons to rip her apart. Get your facts straight before you call yourself a realist.
fan wrote on Sun, 02/12/2006 - 11:58pm
Wow. To realist: who the hell are you to make that statement? What have you ever done for your sport and your country? And do you know anything about figure skating at all? ....dammm u got told
Harry wrote on Mon, 02/13/2006 - 12:02pm
Some of you are getting your wish. Kwan is out of the games due to injury.
Anonymous wrote on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 2:46pm
I am a big fan why did you have to get hurt?
Crystal wrote on Wed, 02/15/2006 - 6:08am
I think they should ley Kwan skate because she worked very har on practicing for the 2006 olympics.
kristine wrote on Thu, 11/02/2006 - 11:30am
well i think michelle kwan should skate because she's relaly good in skating
yikey wrote on Wed, 01/04/2006 - 6:08pm
yikes!
Lizzie wrote on Mon, 05/21/2007 - 12:39pm
I'm sorry Michelle that you got hurt but I hope that can make it back to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Im the Kwan wrote on Fri, 01/13/2006 - 9:55am
I love michelle kwan, I want to marry her and give her many ice skatingbabies. Can someone send me her number. I will send my condolences.