'Limited' Kwan faces uphill battle at Games
By Jim CapleTORINO -- The grand old lady of U.S. figure skating sounded so old Saturday morning, you almost expected Michelle Kwan to complain about the cold weather affecting the rheumatism.
Kwan had a terrible morning practice that she uncharacteristically cut short after missing several trips jumps. "I got on the ice and I was a little stiff," the 25-year-old said. "Being in the outside last night for four hours [for the Opening Ceremony] wasn't good for my body. I didn't feel too good."
Asked several times in several ways, Kwan did not rule out dropping out of the Olympics, which would allow alternate Emily Hughes to skate in her place.
"You always have options. Right now, I have to get myself better and know what I can do,'' she replied to one question. To another she said, "I really have to pay attention to how I'm feeling these days, and it is important that I'm in touch with that now and being serious about it and how I'm skating and how I'm feeling. Dropping out is not something I want to do, but I have to listen to what my feelings are.
"Physically, if I'm not able to skate, I would give up the spot.''
The nine-time U.S. champion was given a medical bye onto the Olympic team because of a groin injury that forced her to withdraw from the U.S. nationals last month. There is a certain irony in that -- she was the alternate in 1994 because of the whole Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan soap opera.
Kwan said she plans to practice again Sunday morning. How she does then could be crucial to her decision.
Officially, Kwan must decide by Feb. 19 -- two days before the short program -- whether to skate, but to better prepare Hughes, should she give the alternate a heads up before that. Asked what she would tell Hughes if the skater called to ask whether to get ready, Kwan replied, "As an alternate, you have to be 100-percent prepared. I remember being an alternate in Lillehammer and I was working on my short and long programs all the time. Be prepared. The world championships are in a month, so it's always good to be ready."
If Kwan drops out, she could be the first skating casualty caused by excessive pageantry. Kwan marched with the U.S. team in the three-hour Opening Ceremony that featured a Ferrari, Pavarotti, Yoko Ono and many, many people dancing about in wigs and Renaissance costumes.
Although she was the favorite the previous two Olympics, Kwan settled for the silver in 1998 and the bronze in 2002. She came back for a third time hoping for the elusive gold medal. Kwan is still a big enough star that people from Access Hollywood and Jay Leno showed up at her press conference -- "Is wearing a Vera Wang dress borne of friendship or borne of contract?'' -- but she's a dark horse even if healthy. She finished fourth at last year's World Championships under the new scoring system in what she called an eye-opening experience.
Asked whether her groin injury was caused by attempting moves necessary for the new system, she replied, "It could be the result of everything. My body itself. I'm not 13 anymore. Maybe it's tying new tricks. Trying new tricks is always a risky thing because you're body isn't used to it.
"Mentally it's been a challenge. ... Physically, I wish I could practice more. I wish I could spend more hours on the ice. I used to, but I'm limited with what I can do on the ice with the time I have now."
