Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060212/sp_usatoday/skatinglegendmichellekwanwithdrawsgracefully
Sun Feb 12, 4:37 PM ET
TORINO - For the past dozen years, Michelle Kwan's name has been synonymous with the sport of figure skating. She won every competition imaginable, most of them many times over, except, of course, for the Olympic Games, where the color of her medal somehow never quite turned to gold. 
Along the way, she became the most visible skater of all time, coming of age as her sport exploded on television in the wake of the Tonya-Nancy saga. Her longevity was remarkable considering that her dominance occurred at the most turbulent time in the history of the sport. Little girls would come and go, but Kwan always remained, a model of constancy, always on the medal podium, always at the big events, always there, always.
For 12 years now, Kwan and her sport have been quite a team. But no more. Figure skating must now go solo. Michelle Kwan has withdrawn from the Olympic Games. (Related gallery: Saturday's practice session )
This was not how Kwan wanted it all to end, if this in fact is the end of her competitive career, which certainly seems likely. It wasn't supposed to finish with her unable to hold back tears, physically unable to skate, finally betrayed by a body that for so many years performed beautifully while absorbing the impact of thousands of jumps on the unforgiving ice.
That Kwan made it to 25 before finally having to stop due to a recurring groin injury is another feather in a stuffed cap. Consider, for instance, that Tara Lipinski, who defeated Kwan for the gold medal at the 1998 Olympics, underwent major hip surgery at 20 and no longer skates.
Kwan's career was always so perfectly choreographed, until now. If only it were as easy for a skater to figure out how to leave a sport as it has been for her to dominate it. In hindsight, knowing what the last 48 hours would bring - the re-injury, the uncertainty, the decision to withdraw, the sleepless night - Kwan never would have tried this, never would have come to the Games. 
Conspiracy theorists can have a field day with what has happened here, but it certainly looks like Kwan simply wanted nothing more than to try her hand at one final Olympic Games. Always considered one of her sport's finest competitors, she was hopeful her body would hold up just a little longer, hopeful that the tremendous strides she showed in that monitoring session 16 days earlier would only continue, hopeful that she somehow might contend for another Olympic medal. How could anyone find anything wrong with that?
"I respect the Olympics too much," Kwan said, explaining why she was giving up.
In the past month, some wanted to turn the Hughes family and Michelle Kwan into rivals fighting over that last Olympic spot. What a futile exercise this was. Over the last few years, I've had my share of phone interviews with members of the Hughes family, and, invariably, they hung up by saying, "Tell Michelle hello next time you see her."
As the debate raged on about whether Michelle should be allowed to go to the Olympics, it was 2002 Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hughes who stood up most majestically for Kwan.
"I've always had the utmost respect for Michelle not only as a skater but also as a person," she told me in a January phone interview. "She has brought so much prestige to our sport. I always thought I was on the ice with a legend. Whenever they talk about the history of skating, they will talk about her."
Even in their euphoria, celebrating a second daughter going to an Olympics, the Hughes family paused.
"We really feel bad for Michelle," John Hughes, Emily's father, said in a phone interview Sunday. "Michelle and Emily were at the same event three or four times, and every time, Michelle went out of her way to say hello, to welcome her, to be nice. Michelle deserved this chance. It's really unfortunate for her that it didn't work out."
Hughes will replace injured Kwan in the Olympics
By Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/torino/figureskating/2006-02-12-kwan-out_x.htm
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"They always want me to be happy, and they want their baby to 'win the gold' and my dreams to come true," said Kwan, who, now 25, might not be able to compete in the next Olympics. "But I've learned it's not about the gold. ... I have no regrets. I tried my hardest, and if I don't win the gold, it's OK." (Related audio: Kwan 'OK' with not winning a gold | Early on, she knew she couldn't compete.)
Kwan, a five-time world titlist, made it to her third Olympics. She won silver in 1998, bronze in 2002. But she pulled out early Sunday after being examined for what a team doctor and U.S. Olympic officials said was a "new" groin injury. (Related: Reaction | Injury timeline)
She was hurt in a mistake-filled Saturday practice that left her visibly shaken.
Her departure opens a spot for Emily Hughes, 17, of Great Neck, N.Y. Hughes is the sister of 2002 Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hughes.
"I think it's all about the United States having the best team," Kwan said, "and I wouldn't want to be in the way."
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Nine-time U.S. champion, sharing record with Maribel Vinson-OwenMichelle Kwan in the way? To those in the hierarchy of U.S. figure skating and the Olympic movement, she has led the way.
"Michelle Kwan means more to the United States Olympic Committee than maybe any athlete that's ever performed for the United States Olympic Committee," USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth said. "She's a real loss to all of the United States Olympic Committee, to the United States of America and to the world."
Kwan was conditionally named to the team even though she did not skate in last month's nationals, also citing a right groin injury. Her spot was finalized when she performed her programs Jan. 27 before a five-member panel from U.S. Figure Skating. She consequently bumped off Hughes, who was third in nationals.
Ron Hershberger, president of U.S. Figure Skating, said Kwan came here "ready to compete" after multiple medical examinations. "Michelle Kwan is truly a great champion," he said. "She is so widely admired and, in fact, adored by ... figure skating fans everywhere."
NBC analyst Sandra Bezic, a former Olympian and Canadian pairs skater, said, "Anytime Michelle is at an event, the level is heightened. She's conducted herself in such an elegant way. ... Her life is not over, it's just taken a new direction, but it's heartbreaking."
It came apart quickly.
Kwan's coach, Rafael Arutunian, was delayed in arriving Saturday by visa problems, according to her agent, Shep Goldberg. Kwan practiced anyway, though she said she "woke up really stiff" after being outside for the opening ceremonies Friday night. She said she was hurt on an attempted triple flip. "When I flipped out of it, I knew I had done something," she said.
She tried another triple, fell and left the ice 15 minutes early. Saturday night the groin stiffened and the pain worsened. (Related gallery: Saturday practice )
Jim Moeller, a U.S. team physician, said he got a call about 2 a.m. Sunday to report to the athletes village to examine Kwan. He met her about 15 minutes later and within 15 more minutes made his assessment. Moeller said he recommended she withdraw.
Kwan made her decision after the examination and called her parents.
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By 7:30 a.m., the USOC petitioned the IOC to substitute Hughes. The petition was granted about 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
Ueberroth, asked if the USA's chances of replacing Kwan would have been jeopardized if it had been a pre-existing injury, said, "If it happened to be something else, the same outcome would have happened and Emily would be able to compete."
Moeller said the injury is not career threatening.
Kwan shares the record for U.S. titles of nine with Maribel Vinson. Kwan wasn't saying whether she would skate competitively again.
"I can't really think past right now," she said. "I think the best thing for me is to go home and get better, and I wouldn't want to be a distraction."
Kwan was not considered a favorite as in prior Olympics. She skated once under the new scoring system, a fourth in the 2005 world championships, and she'd been sidelined all season with a hip injury and the more recent groin issue.
Second-time Olympian Sasha Cohen, 21, becomes the senior member among the three U.S. women's skaters. Hughes turned 17 on Jan. 26. Kimmie Meissner is 16.
Cohen has won silver medals in the last two worlds. In Kwan's absence, Cohen won her first U.S. title. Just before a Sunday news conference of her own, Cohen found out about Kwan. "I was a little bit shocked," Cohen said.
Before, during and after nationals, Cohen frequently was asked about Kwan by the media. Ditto Sunday. She would not say she is relieved to be out of Kwan's shadow.
"I'm definitely used to answering whatever questions come my way, and of all the questions, the Michelle questions aren't the hardest," Cohen said. "I've learned to shift my focus away from other people onto myself. So you can ask me the questions, but they kind of just bounce right off."
Cohen continues to train for the Feb. 21 short program. Kwan is going home.
"It is one of the toughest decisions I've had to make," Kwan said. "But I know it's the right one."
Contributing: Kelly Whiteside
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