Med injured, possibly out of GPF

[Japanfan]

Yes, I do. Ankle is different that a foot that has to hit the ice, and feel where it is. Also, not nearly the technical content nor body pounding there is today.

I would think a painkiller in the ankle might effect the foot as well? When Shen skated with her leg shot full of painkillers, it appeared she had no feeling in that leg whatsoever. I don't know if she had any feeling in her foot.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Devastating injury just a few months from the Olympics! All my best to Med for a full recovery! Hopefully, she will be fully healed in time to show the Russian officials that she is in top form for the Games!

 

[AxelAnnie]

I would think a painkiller in the ankle might effect the foot as well? When Shen skated with her leg shot full of painkillers, it appeared she had no feeling in that leg whatsoever. I don't know if she had any feeling in her foot.

Good point. I was just thinking that if you could not feel your foot, it would be hard to know if you were on the ice when you land.

Aside from that, she had those strips on both legs. Not sure we have the whole story.

 

[becca]

If I'm the Russian federation I insist she sits out the GPF and potentially Nationals too. Let her take a break heal and gear up for Europeans and the Olympics.

 

[caseyedwards]

That’s being very optimistic! Russia or any Russian in Pyeongchang would be astonishing and shocking!! Putin and other officials said there will be no “and now neutral athlete Evgenia Medvedeva!”

 

[overedge]

That’s being very optimistic! Russia or any Russian in Pyeongchang would be astonishing and shocking!! Putin and other officials said there will be no “and now neutral athlete Evgenia Medvedeva!”

Whether Russians get to compete at the Games or not is a separate issue from whether Med is healthy enough to compete.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Just ran across this: Elena Mukhina - Olympic Gymnast's Tragedy. Not for the feint of heart....but definitely a cautionary tale.

 

[Japanfan]

Good point. I was just thinking that if you could not feel your foot, it would be hard to know if you were on the ice when you land.

That would be true, I would think. My guess is that muscle memory and intimate familiarity with the program choreography would simply take over. But only the skaters themselves would know whether that could compensate for not being able to feel your foot on the ice.

 

[zoe111]

Good point. I was just thinking that if you could not feel your foot, it would be hard to know if you were on the ice when you land.

Aside from that, she had those strips on both legs. Not sure we have the whole story.

Unfortunately I agree that I think she’s got injuries or issues on both feet/ or ankles based on her takeoffs to some of the jumps at nhk

 

[Xela M]

Just ran across this: Elena Mukhina - Olympic Gymnast's Tragedy. Not for the feint of heart....but definitely a cautionary tale.

Elena Mukhina and her sad sad eyes have haunted me for years! There is something about her story that has really affected me more than any other sports tragedy

 

[barbarafan]

Just ran across this: Elena Mukhina - Olympic Gymnast's Tragedy. Not for the feint of heart....but definitely a cautionary tale.

So true..I watched it. Thank-you for the link. I knew all was not right in gymnastics but I had no idea something like that had happened. This is such a sickening case of abuse. It does make me think again(something that keeps popping in my mind each time they skate)about Sui & Han. She put herself entirely in the hands of her coaches and kept skating on injured feet for a long time..at the end being frozen to skate. Then they decided to fix it mid olympic cycle so she would be back for Olympics..They had a team of doctors plus coaches and federation on decision team while all tests were run and doctors gave their indiv. prognosis of what procedures to do & what would happen after. That sounds bad..Like if you do such and such she could last to the olympics (but maybe be crippled in ten yrs???? who knows. Prob. a doctor said the best procedure for her and future health would mean she would never skate at the same level..) It took days to decide & then it was not a doctors decision that was taken but the coaches/federation which totally scares me. Sui just waited for the envelope...& went through hell and back after. I am holding my breath until after the games and hope someone upstairs is watching over her.

 

[Xela M]

So true..I watched it. Thank-you for the link. I knew all was not right in gymnastics but I had no idea something like that had happened. This is such a sickening case of abuse. It does make me think again(something that keeps popping in my mind each time they skate)about Sui & Han. She put herself entirely in the hands of her coaches and kept skating on injured feet for a long time..at the end being frozen to skate. Then they decided to fix it mid olympic cycle so she would be back for Olympics..They had a team of doctors plus coaches and federation on decision team while all tests were run and doctors gave their indiv. prognosis of what procedures to do & what would happen after. That sounds bad..Like if you do such and such she could last to the olympics (but maybe be crippled in ten yrs???? who knows. Prob. a doctor said the best procedure for her and future health would mean she would never skate at the same level..) It took days to decide & then it was not a doctors decision that was taken but the coaches/federation which totally scares me. Sui just waited for the envelope...& went through hell and back after. I am holding my breath until after the games and hope someone upstairs is watching over her.

Elena Mukhina's situation was very different to Sui (who appears to be the driving force in that pair).

 

[Japanfan]

That sounds bad..Like if you do such and such she could last to the olympics (but maybe be crippled in ten yrs???? who knows. Prob. a doctor said the best procedure for her and future health would mean she would never skate at the same level..) It took days to decide & then it was not a doctors decision that was taken but the coaches/federation which totally scares me. Sui just waited for the envelope...& went through hell and back after. I am holding my breath until after the games and hope someone upstairs is watching over her.

Elena Mukhina's situation was very different to Sui (who appears to be the driving force in that pair).

ITA that Sui is the driving force in that pair and would expect that she was in agreement about getting the surgeries done. She sure did get back on the ice as soon as she could, defying expectations. IMO S/H were groomed for greatness at a young age, unlike S/Zm P/T, and Zhangs, who had to find it within themselves as first generation Chinese pairs. I think Sui loves to skate, and equally loves to win.

I've read various things about the Chinese federation that are disturbing. Like their forced repairing of pair teams in recent years. Like stealing the carb treats that Qing Pang stashes in her bag - read that on the board, but don't remember when or what the source was. And in the book The Second Mark, the author stated that pair girls were weighed regularly and if they gained more than two pounds, punished by having to eat in the coaches' lounge for a time (where their food consumption could be observed). It happened to Shen due to the water weight she gained from drinking two diet cokes on one of the rare occasions when her parents came to visit her.

I don't know if the fed is equally hard on male pair skaters in terms of pushing them to build their upper body and watch their weight. I would expect not.

And I would think some young Chinese female pair skaters might not be able to cope with the regime of diet and training they have to follow. SFAIK the Chinese girls are so good at throws because they are required to practice them endlessly.

Those Chinese girls who do endure are incredibly, incredibly tough IMO, and deserving of much respect. That toughness was evident when Shen skated Turandot with one leg out of commission, and when Dan Zhang took that horrible fall at the 2006 Olympics, then got right up and proceeded to complete the program.

The ends may not justify the means, but have certainly been impressive.

 

[Japanfan]

Elena Mukhina and her sad sad eyes have haunted me for years! There is something about her story that has really affected me more than any other sports tragedy

Such a tragedy, especially given that she knew she was in danger.

I'm reminded of the bobsledder who died so sadly and tragically at the Vancouver Olympics. A day or so before he died he told his father that he was terrified of the course.

TPTB should listen to athletes who have such insights. Their lives are worth more than any medal ever could be.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Such a tragedy, especially given that she knew she was in danger.

I'm reminded of the bobsledder who died so sadly and tragically at the Vancouver Olympics. A day or so before he died he told his father that he was terrified of the course.

TPTB should listen to athletes who have such insights. Their lives are worth more than any medal ever could be.

As I followed her story, I kept wanting to scream LISTEN TO HER! This is someone trained to use her body. She knows when something is off.

 

[PRlady]

She's out, was just posted on Twitter: https://twitter.com/icenetwork/status/936576378660585477

 

[skatesindreams]

It's best for her.

 

[oleada]

This is disappointing but it's for the best.

 

[Wyliefan]

GOOD. Smart girl. She needs to rest up and get better before the Olympics.

 

[chattila]

GOOD. Smart girl. She needs to rest up and get better before the Olympics.

I agree but I hope that there will be an Olympics-2018 for her, what with all of the talk about banning Russians.

 

[BlueRidge]

I'm sad not to see her, but not sad she has withdrawn given the situation. Take care and heal Evgenia.

 

[Scrufflet]

Good news that she is taking care of her health!
I've spoken to my chiropractor about elite skaters and injuries and her response was very interesting. Her goal was to get them to a state of good health; theirs was to get there and then push beyond. She said she had to stop working with them because of this. Her conscience would not let her.
She has no such problems with me! I'm quite happy to struggle for good health!