Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year | Golden Skate

Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

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Lcp88

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Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

Don't know whats wrong with the stupid link - here's the article:

"WASHINGTON — A message for those fans eagerly anticipating Michelle Kwan vs. Sarah Hughes at the World Figure Skating Championships this week: Enjoy it while it lasts. This could be the last time Kwan and Hughes go head-to-head in Olympic-eligible competition. Signs point to one or both of the top U.S. women making this the final chapter in their non-professional careers.

Sarah Hughes has indicated she may take some time off from skating to attend college.

The women begin competition today at the MCI Center with the qualifying free skate. Kwan and Hughes and the third U.S. skater, Sasha Cohen, all are expected to advance easily. The three ultimately could sweep the podium. Women's competition continues with the short program Friday and the long program Saturday.

Hughes, who won gold at last year's Salt Lake City Olympics, is going for her first world title. Kwan, the reigning Olympic bronze medalist, could win her fifth.

Neither skater competed much this season — Kwan out of choice, Hughes because of a leg injury that sidelined her through the international Grand Prix events.

"I felt a little empty, like, 'Now what should I do,' " Kwan says. "I sort of missed skating and that intensity. I was practicing, not sure where I was going to go, go to nationals or not or skate at all."

Kwan did go to nationals and earned her seventh U.S. title with a nearly flawless performance. But that didn't sharpen her focus about her skating future, which she says is still "day to day, month to month."

"It's tough to say what I'll be doing next year," says Kwan, 22, who in recent years has juggled classes at UCLA with skating practices and competitions.

Hughes has been accepted to attend Harvard this fall. She also has applications in at Yale, Columbia and Princeton. She has expressed interest in someday going to medical school.

"I've always been interested in having a well-rounded life," says Hughes, 17, who finished second at nationals with little preparation, "and I've enjoyed high school and I, of course, have an interest in going away to school and living in a dorm for a while. But for right now I'm not exactly sure. The world championships will be an important time for me in probably finalizing my decisions."

She didn't elaborate on what kind of a result would help clarify her direction.

Going into the Salt Lake Olympics, Kwan repeatedly hinted she might stay Olympic-eligible through the 2006 Games and possibly 2010. Now, she says, "I'll decide as I go along."

"For me, I think I have to take one thing at a time, enjoy life as well," says Kwan, whose goal of winning Olympic gold has twice eluded her. "It's too intense, and I've noticed that I do not do so well when I put that pressure on myself. I need to take one thing at a time, see how it goes. "

Ice dancers still on top:

Reigning world champions Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh of Russia and reigning world silver medalists Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz of Canada led their groups in Tuesday's compulsory dance.

The two U.S. teams, Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto and Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev, each finished fourth in their groups. The dance competition continues Thursday with the original dance. The dance final is Friday."




Any other news about whether or not they're going to return?
Sarah's still young - I think she should stay for a few more seasons.
Laura
 
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RealtorGal

Guest
Re: Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

The link doesn't work.
 
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sk8ing lady2001

Guest
Re: Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

At least I will say that Michelle Kwan has had a great career, and I have enjoyed her skating so very much. :D
 
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lottafs

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Re: Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

Michelle would need some time off, of course. She will want to attend college and spend more time chillin' with Brad. :)
 
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heyang

Guest
Re: Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

how in the world did the 3 American ladies end up in the same qualifying round?

Disappointed for Sarah - 6th in her qualifying group doesn't look good for a US sweep. Is it possible? Can someone do the math?
 
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dlksk8fan

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Re: Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

Lcp88-
You need to remove that "USA Today" link please.
 
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Mathman3

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Re: Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

I don't see anything in the article to justify the headline. We already knew that Michelle was picking and choosing her events now and that Sarah is considering her options and making plans for her life. I don't know about Sarah, but I expect that Michelle will be back next year on the same basis as this -- hang in there, do a couple of events...win her 8th U.S. and her 6th world championship...

Mathman
 
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Mathman3

Guest
Re: Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

Heyang, Michelle and Sasha were in the same group because they finished 2nd and 4th at Worlds last year. If Irina had competed, she and Fumie would have been in the same group because thay finished 1st and 3rd.

I don't know how Sarah's assignment was detrmined, because she didn't compete at worlds last year.

Mathman
 
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maxell1313

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Re: Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

I have a hard time believing anything from USA Today. Their last two articles about Michelle were...not complimentary...to say the least. Sarah has honestly stated she's considering taking time off for college, but Michelle has said no such thing. All she's insinuated is that she's taking her skating career day by day, which I'm sure is annoying members of the press who want her to retire so they can find someone else to write about.

I'd take the whole article with a grain of salt.

(Edited to say that Sarah got her placement in Group A due to the alphabet. Once they separate the skaters from last year's Worlds, they go in alphabetical order to place the rest of the entrants. It's a horribly flawed way of doing things, though. Group A is so much more difficult than Group B.)
 
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rgirl181

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Re: Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

This would be what I would like to see for Michelle. With a little major rule change from the USFSA, Michelle could skate with SOI AND still retain her eligibility. IMO, this would be the best of both worlds for Michelle. I think SOI would give her the technical and artistic challenges she needs without the killer pressure and physical wear and tear of heavy competition, plus, with the right scheduling, she could tour with SOI and compete at Nats and Worlds. Nothing against COI, but doing one full program a night just isn't the same as doing three solos, a couple of group numbers, and being part of a cohesive performing group. I enjoy watching COI for different reasons than SOI; I'm just talking about it from the POV of challenging the skater. OTOH, Michelle has a very close relationship with Tom Collins, so I don't think she would turn her back on him and go with SOI. She also probably has contractual obligations with COI. Maybe it's time for Tom Collins to produce "Michelle Kwan and Stars of Skating" in an SOI type format.

But that's just what I'd like. As for Michelle, I really think she can write her own ticket. If she can come up with a concept for skating that has the right balance for her, I bet anything somebody will fund and produce it. In other words, say the word, Michelle, and it shall be done.

BTW, I don't think the media want Michelle out of eligible skating. I think reporters, as is their make-up, want a story. Whether it's "Kwan to Stay In Till Next Olympics!" or "Kwan Will Turn Pro," I don't think they care. They just want one or the other because, "Maybe yes, maybe no" is no story. I think what Michelle is doing is great, in essence telling the media (but in a nice, non-Rgirl way;) ), "Hey, back off! Let me live my freakin' life already! I'm just seeing how things go for a while."

Although, Maxell, what I just wrote did make me think of something that might make you right--the word "nice." Michelle is a nice person. She's polite with the media. She has a great family and personal life. She's never even been near the word scandal. Skating fans and the public love her. The Michelle and the Olympic gold story has pretty much run its course (which is why I think it would be great comeuppance and great in general if Michelle did skate in 2006, just for the fun of it, and actually win the Olympic gold). Anyway, being a nice person and not getting in trouble does not make for stories that sell papers and make careers. So, ironically, the media might want Michelle to move on for being all the things they loved her for in the first place. The media are hungry for another Tonya Harding and that's one thing I'm sure Michelle will never be.
Rgirl
 
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anastasiabeaverhoussen

Guest
retire?

I am very happy to hear the rumors that Oksana may be with Stars on Ice next season. I would love to see Michelle Kwan skate with them as well. I think Sarah Hughes will retire now. It would be very hard for me to stay motivated with skating if I had won the Olympics and was 18 and wanted to go away to college and have fun. I think I would go to school to have that experience. I think Michelle is still young and can still compete with the best but it seems like good timing for her to move on because she has already accomplished so much and she can begin a new part of her life. Of course, I will be happy if she sticks around for a few more years.
 
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mathman444

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Re: Kwan and Hughes may not stick around for next year

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>I think reporters, as is their make-up, want a story. Whether it's "Kwan to Stay In Till Next Olympics!" or "Kwan Will Turn Pro," I don't think they care. They just want one or the other because, "Maybe yes, maybe no" is no story.[/quote]Why, here's the very article.

www.dailytimes.com.pk/def...003_pg2_15

Mathman
 
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