Thanks Nymkfan, great article! I like that Michelle is talking about the conflicting feelings she has between wanting to skate and wanting "other chapters" in her life. I actually think that's part of what gives her skating depth.
How heartbreaking that she had to miss her sister Karen's wedding due to the IFSC and recently going with Artunian as coach. I know we talk about events like the IFSC as cheezefests, but I think it shows that skaters like Michelle bear in mind that thousands have paid to see them skate and millions will tune in to watch. I remember Scott Hamilton couldn't be with his mother when she was sick because of something to do with either Worlds or the Olympics. Anyway, for as much as they get, top skaters do have to give up a lot too.
However, I don't know that I agree with Hersh's assessment that ladies figure skating has "withered" and with some of the ladies skaters he cited as "top competition." I agree with Irina Slutskaya, except from '97 to '00; Lu Chen; Tara, albeit a short career; and he lists Sasha in the past tense--don't get that. But listing Nicole Bobek and Surya Bonaly as better than skaters like Fumie, Shizuka, and the still-competing, as far as I know, Sasha seemed out of sync. Michelle started the era of the seven-triple program and no other ladies skater has ever been consistent at doing that. She was consistent doing it at 14 and she's consistent today. When a sport gets to that level, you're going to have fewer and fewer close competitors. Just like in men's with the quad and pairs with SBS triples.
I also like that Michelle talked specifically about 3/3s and hip problems. She really broke it down as to why a 3/3 is so much harder on the landing hip than a 3/2. This is what concerns me about young girls, especially pre-puberty, focusing on 3/3s before they have the bone mass and the strength to do them properly. I still want the hinged figure skating boot if 3/3s and quads are to become part of ladies figure skating, but I wish every eligible skater in the world would read just what Michelle said about doing 3/3s. I know every sport has its risks, but there are ways to minimize the risks and Michelle just spelled out some of them. I'm sure nobody wants anymore Naomi Nari Nams or Tara Lipinskis, and those are just the a couple of the well-known ones.
But overall a good article. I hope someday Michelle will look back and realize how much she packed into her life between 12 and 23 and how much more she will probably still get from skating in the future. I'm still betting she'll get that OGM in Turin
Rgirl
