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Szewczenko injured, Hubert ill
SportsLine wire reports PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Tanja Szewczenko of Germany, bronze medalist last year, withdrew from the European figure skating championships on Friday with back and hip injuries.
Szewczenko, who has a long history of health and injury problems, joined Laetitia Hubert of France on the sidelines after the French girl pulled out earlier on Friday with gastro-enteritis. The 22-year-old German sustained the injuries when she fell during the qualifying round on Wednesday. She drove to Munich on Thursday to consult her doctor and returned on Friday but withdrew some 30 minutes before she was due to skate. She lost her German national title to Eva-Maria Fitze this month but tied with Fitze for fourth place in her group in Wednesday's qualifying here despite falls on the triple loop and triple flip jumps. HUBERT, 24, WAS FOURTH IN THE WORLD championships last year and had been considered a medal prospect this week. But she skated poorly in Wednesday's qualifying section, placing sixth in her group and blaming an upset stomach for a lackluster display. She withdrew on Friday shortly before the short program, second phase of the women's competition, began. |