Ailing Kwan Forced To Sit Out Event

Michelle Kwan, still hurting from a stress fracture in her left foot, withdrew Thursday from another pre-Olympic figure skating event less than a month before she is due to compete for a place on the U.S. team.

Kwan, who was examined by her doctor Wednesday after complaining of “slight pain,” was still expected to be completely healed in time for the national championships in Philadelphia on Jan. 4-11, the U.S. Figure Skating Association said.

But the decision to skip the Champions Series Final in Munich on Dec. 19-21 marked the second time the six-week-old injury knocked the 1996 world champion and Olympic gold-medal favorite out of a major Winter Games warm-up.

“I am disappointed, because I really did want to compete at the Champions Series Final,” Kwan said in a statement released by the federation. “But at the same time, I want to be able to skate my best at nationals, so I have to listen to my doctor’s advice.”