- Joined
- Dec 16, 2006
Illness can also be a factor. One skater we haven't mentioned was world bronze medalist Caryn Kadavy, who had the flu right at the Olympics and couldn't skate at all. Poor thing; she was a delightful skater with ballet training who stood a good chance of making at least the top five. That was her only Olympics and so her only chance at a medal. But she had a long and illustrious pro career and was always a joy to watch.
That reminds me of another world bronze medalist-- Tanja Szewczenko. World bronze in 1994, and because she had beaten Baiul and some other top contenders throughout her career, much was expected of her. Then she was ill throughout 96-97 with a blood disorder. Came back in early 1997 winning almost everything. People expected her to contend for a medal in Nagano, but, like Cadavy, she caught the flu during the Olympics.