Rachel Flatt Competes Injured Again

[drivingmissdaisy]

Source: http://seattletimes.com/html/othersp...america22.html

Rachael Flatt, a 2010 U.S. Olympian hampered by a lingering ankle injury, placed ninth in ladies singles.

"The last week has been pretty rough with my ankle," she said. "I'm hoping we can figure out what's going on with this injury because it just really has not healed over the last two years fully. I think we're probably going to have it reimaged and go from there.

"We just haven't seen anything (in tests) in the past and it's been incredibly frustrating. We'll see what happens."

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I defended her in the past but if she is having continuing problems with an injury it makes no sense to me why she is competing instead of taking some time off to heal. It's clear she isn't in the best shape and I think she is damaging her reputation with the judges by skating poorly at these international events.

[l'etoile]

Source: http://seattletimes.com/html/othersp...america22.html
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I defended her in the past but if she is having continuing problems with an injury it makes no sense to me why she is competing instead of taking some time off to heal. It's clear she isn't in the best shape and I think she is damaging her reputation with the judges by skating poorly at these international events.

My sentiment exactly! I feel sorry for her but OTOH I feel so baffled about her skating and will to skate. Plus, I really don't comment on people's body shape but Rachel at this weekend looked just given up on proper training necessary to be a competitive skater.

[AlexRus]

Hmm ... it is not completely new.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news
(01/20/2011)
===
The Colorado Springs-based skater, who won silver at Skate America while battling severe tendonitis in her right ankle, is fit and ready to launch her title defense at the 2011 U.S. Figure Skating Championships next week.
"I've made a fully recovery; I'm very happy to say things are back to normal," Flatt, 18, said.
===

We see, recovery is not full.

Unfortunately practically all the skaters had injuries, and recovered only partially.

[bigsisjiejie]

Skating while injured is one good way to bring down that TES. So is being out-of-shape. But in the past, many injured and/or out-of-shape skaters have still managed to get out there and perform a good show, and at least keep up some semblance of PCS. At SKAM, Rachael's PCS was down in the cellar for both SP and FS. She's just going through the motions now and even the judges aren't buying. I do not understand why she wants to keep embarrassing herself this way. It's not noble to keep forging on when it no longer makes sense, it just shows bad judgment. Hopefully the USFS will not assign her to any more international competitions where they have discretion.

[janetfan]

Skating while injured is one good way to bring down that TES. So is being out-of-shape. But in the past, many injured and/or out-of-shape skaters have still managed to get out there and perform a good show, and at least keep up some semblance of PCS. At SKAM, Rachael's PCS was down in the cellar for both SP and FS. She's just going through the motions now and even the judges aren't buying. I do not understand why she wants to keep embarrassing herself this way. It's not noble to keep forging on when it no longer makes sense, it just shows bad judgment. Hopefully the USFS will not assign her to any more international competitions where they have discretion.

Part of the deal is that US Skating is so desperate for a star they made sure Gracie, Agnes and MIRAI were nowhere near Skate America. For once Flatt served a real purpose.

Miss 9th place needs to learn to keep her mouth shut about her injuries (apparently that is more than one fault lacking in a "Stanford education" compared to better schools on the East coast) coz once again a healthy Mirai was more than ready to take her place.

But US Skating misses the whole point - as true champions only emerge when they can say they beat the best.

The American public has never embraced Ashley - and trying to make her a fake champion might fool a few girly skating fans - but will never help make her a skating icon.

It seems very easy and clear to see why the vast majority of Americans do NOT consider figure skating to be a true competitive sport.

And who can blame them.... for sure, not me...

[tulosai]

My sentiment exactly! I feel sorry for her but OTOH I feel so baffled about her skating and will to skate. Plus, I really don't comment on people's body shape but Rachel at this weekend looked just given up on proper training necessary to be a competitive skater.

I totally agree with this. I have some respect for her- she clearly does love skating and wants to continue. I do think this is her and her parents choice (as they are funding her skating still, I am sure). I also get why USFSA would give her an assignment and I'm not a cynical as the people who think they did it only to prop Ashley up.

However, I don't know why she skates injured, then blames the injury after the fact. In addition, someone in the Skate America thread called Rachael overweight and got slammed, but the first thing I thought when I saw her was that she has gained a lot of weight. It truly is just a fact. She certainly is not overweight in absolute terms- she has a healthy and beautiful body. Many people would be glad to have her body. However, she is definitely not at the ideal weight for a competitive skater and is overweight for most skaters of her height and body type. While another skater might be competitive at Rachael's current height/weight it's obvious this isn't the ideal weight for her. If I get slammed for saying this so be it.

[R.D.]

At SKAM, Rachael's PCS was down in the cellar for both SP and FS. She's just going through the motions now and even the judges aren't buying.

One can argue that they never did in the first place! (at least not the international ones)

But yes...I almost hate to say it. You know I don't typically say directly that skaters should retire (it's their choice)...but if she says school is her #1 priority, I have to question why she is still throwing her hat in the ring, particularly when her performances clearly support her statement.

Does she think she can do both? If she truly is that injured, with school taking over...perhaps it just might be that time.

Hopefully the USFS will not assign her to any more international competitions where they have discretion.

If other American ladies continue to outshine Flatt on a regular basis, don't see her getting another one.


ETA:

The American public has never embraced Ashley - and trying to make her a fake champion might fool a few girly skating fans - but will never help make her a skating icon.

??? Is this post for real?

[daphna]

she looks bad on the ice. she needs to retire.

[sillylionlove]

I am not normally one to slam skaters but I agree with everything that has been said so far except the comments made about Ashley. . She sucked this weekend and its easy to come up with the injury excuse....just like at worlds. I wish she would just concentrate in her studies and let someone else who really wants it have her spots. I'm glad she only had one Grand Prix assignment. And I'm an overweight person an while Rachel is no means fat....she didnt look like she is in very good shape. Skating won't last forever, she should really concentrate on school. Isn't that what Emily Hughes did?

[janetfan]

ETA:


??? Is this post for real?

Yes..... and whether you agree or not it is very clear Americans who like sports prefer competitons over pageant coronations.

Skate America Ladies event was a coronation.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[R.D.]

Skate America Ladies event was a coronation.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

OK...so in your opinion, who should have won SA?

[tulosai]

OK...so in your opinion, who should have won SA?

I think her argument is that Mirai Nagasu should have won, despite the fact that she was not there, because the USFSA should have invited her.

[plushyfan]

Injured or not, but she needs to lose some weight!

[Jammers]

I am not normally one to slam skaters but I agree with everything that has been said so far except the comments made about Ashley. . She sucked this weekend and its easy to come up with the injury excuse....just like at worlds. I wish she would just concentrate in her studies and let someone else who really wants it have her spots. I'm glad she only had one Grand Prix assignment. And I'm an overweight person an while Rachel is no means fat....she didnt look like she is in very good shape. Skating won't last forever, she should really concentrate on school. Isn't that what Emily Hughes did?

I agree. She was out of shape and admitted that skating isn't her priority anymore. So why waste a spot on her when there are hungrier and better skaters waiting in the wings? And i don't care how high she finished at Nationals last year. Overall she was less then mediocre last season and they need to take that into consideration and not just go by Nationals.

[drivingmissdaisy]

The American public has never embraced Ashley - and trying to make her a fake champion might fool a few girly skating fans - but will never help make her a skating icon.

It's true the public hasn't embraced Ashley, but she's only had good results for less than a year. She isn't exactly a newcomer though, so I think people aren't as excited as they might be if she were 16. I don't think the USFSA is trying to make a "fake champion" but rather giving our best current female skater the limelight for this event. I don't think she becomes a skating icon like Kwan, simply because she will never match that number of US and World titles. But I can see her having a respectable career along the lines of Kerrigan (World/Olympic medals).