Tennell withdraws from Nationals

[Amei]

I think what a lot of us feared is true - Bradie is withdrawing from Nationals.

*edited to add her full statement:

This morning I made the hardest decision of my life to withdraw from Nationals due to my ongoing foot injury.
I don’t really know how to put into words what I’m feeling right now. I normally try to keep things light, but this hurts. I don’t like to give up when things get hard, but time has not been my friend this year and now it’s run out.
These past six months, I’ve been consistently on and off the ice as we’ve worked to identify and address exactly what is wrong with my foot. I have seen expert doctors across the country in California, Colorado Springs, Boulder, Portland, Chicago, and Boston. I changed boot companies to try to alleviate some of the pain. I’ve tried many different treatments, some of which worked for a little bit, some of which didn’t work at all. As summer turned to fall and then fall to winter, I refused to give up. I thought if I kept pushing, I’d be able to overcome the pain enough to consistently be on the ice, training in the sport I love. And though I have done everything in my power to try to be ready for Nationals, I have to listen to what my body is telling me and accept that I won’t be able to compete next week.
I will keep working to get healthy, and I wish everyone the absolute BEST of luck next week. I will be cheering my hardest for ALL of Team USA as they head to Beijing.
I want to thank my mom for being endlessly supportive and helping me do whatever it takes in both the good times and the bad. In addition to everything else, I feel so lucky to have a mom in the medical field to help me navigate all of this. I would have been lost without your guidance and knowledge. Words don’t even begin to express how much I love you.
I want to thank @benoitrichaud for coming to help me try to train this whole last month. Thank you for helping me push my limits and bend my ankles.
Thank you to @coachtomz for sticking by me through the ups and downs of this season and for all your knowledge and support.
Thank you to my whole team in Colorado, including the World Arena. I feel so lucky to have so many people in my corner.
Last but certainly not least, thank you to all my fans for your support, encouragement, and all-around positivity. I can’t even express what it has meant to me this year. Hugs to every one of you.
I’ll be back. I’m not done fighting.

 

[magictodo]

What else did she say in the comments? I can't see it because I don't have an Instagram account. Thanks!

 

[ucrgirl]

Sigh. I was afraid this season wouldn't go well but I had hoped she would at least be able to compete. How devastating for her.

 

[Amei]

What else did she say in the comments? I can't see it because I don't have an Instagram account. Thanks!

I edited the original post to add her full comment, but what she put in the 'comments' section of her Instagram was basically thanking her team

 

[Ella5555]

I feel for her. I hope she takes time to recover fully - and that she has many good skating years to come.

 

[Amei]

I feel for her. I hope she takes time to recover fully - and that she has many good skating years to come.

Honestly with her statement I'm curious if we are getting a retirement announcement. I mean based on her statement: she's seen specialists, changed her boots and they still haven't been able to fix her foot.

 

[ucrgirl]

Jakie Wong said Bradie may petition for the team. I could see them considering her if the third place lady at Nationals has a pretty dismal skate. However, if she has been struggling for a long time, I'm not sure she would be ready for the Olympics and it is preferable (in my opinion) to decide the team based off of Nationals.

 

[Ella5555]

Honestly with her statement I'm curious if we are getting a retirement announcement. I mean based on her statement: she's seen specialists, changed her boots and they still haven't been able to fix her foot.

Could be, but I’m wondering if she and her team were pushing so hard because it was the Olympic season; thus, unintentionally aggravating the injury. I think the best possible medicine could have been a few months off the ice, but she couldn’t afford to do that. Hopefully, now with real off-ice time to recover, the injury will get better. She obviously doesn’t need to make a decision about continuing right away.

 

[Amei]

Jakie Wong said Bradie may petition for the team. I could see them considering her if the third place lady at Nationals has a pretty dismal skate. However, if she has been struggling for a long time, I'm not sure she would be ready for the Olympics and it is preferable (in my opinion) to decide the team based off of Nationals.

Its her right to be able to petition to be on the team, personally I don't think she has the BOW to justify ignoring that she's not competed all year and put her on the team. Additionally, the Olympics are a month out from US Nationals - if the foot is still in such a state that she can't even attempt to skate at Nationals even just doing a watered down content for the selection committee to see her perform and knock of the cobwebs of no competitions then is 1 month enough time for this foot injury that sounds like its still not healed to have her ready to go for the biggest competition?

 

[Tinymavy15]

That has to be so incredibly hard. I was never the biggest Bradie fan but reading that made my heart hurt. I hope she can find the care she needs to heal and skate pain-free and then go from there about her future in the sport. She's clearly an incredibly hard worker and has a great future.

 

[moonvine]

Oh I feel horrible for her.

 

[MCsAngel2]

I would be shocked if she petitions for the Olympics. It's 6 weeks away. How on earth can she go from injured and undertrained for a half year and not competed all season to Olympic ready in that time? I've said all along that Bradie is the one skater with the political capital to spend recovering and still make the Olympic team - as long as she came back and skated at Nationals in top form. The Olympics aren't happening for her.

She said she still wants to skate, she doesn't want to retire. But...it's hard. She's turning 24 in a month and it just gets harder and harder to balance training and rest as you age. And, national federations tend to lose interest in their women skaters past their early 20s.

 

[Greengemmonster]

Yeah I fear that retirement will follow.... Well not fear because I want the best for her but it's a weird situation.

Would love to see her continue as a fan but kinda know it might not be the best for her.....

 

[withwings]

Honestly with her statement I'm curious if we are getting a retirement announcement. I mean based on her statement: she's seen specialists, changed her boots and they still haven't been able to fix her foot.

Perhaps all what Bradie needed was a time off the ice; a wise advice from the coach or someone else with not only a knowledge in the sport medicine but also with a good intuition, discernment. Each body is so different, what helps for somebody else could be harmful and even dangerous the the other one.

... sometimes even a good thought makes wonders and is of help. Lets hope Bradie's path will turn to the directions that are the best for her.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Oh I feel horrible for her.

Me too....let us hope she gets excellent medical care and advice and makes careful decisions on how to move forward from here....2021 has been such a dumpster fire......

 

[RatedPG]

I think she will continue. She just needs to rest her body for a long time. She must have tried, but, aggravated her body and now has to withdraw. I’m 95% certain now that the team will be Liu, Bell and Chen. 4% chance for Glenn and 1% for Lindsay.

 

[moonvine]

Yeah I fear that retirement will follow.... Well not fear because I want the best for her but it's a weird situation.

Would love to see her continue as a fan but kinda know it might not be the best for her.....

She has stated she plans to skate next year “no matter what.”

 

[TontoK]

So sorry to hear this news. It is upsetting for an athlete to not have the opportunity to fight for the dream.

Her statement was very classy. I wish her well.

 

[catjohnsn2]

A foot injury takes months and months to heal. Practicing or even just being on your feet can be agonizing....then you have a few good days and things start to get better and then you turn the wrong way or twist another way and BAM.....you're back where you started but even in more pain. It was a difficult decision.

She now has the time to completely rest and let her foot heal. We will see her next year.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Very sad news but not wholly unexpected. I wish for Bradie a full recovery, and I hope that she can come back next season.