24 seconds ago 2009-12-09T13:59:49-08:00
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (AFP) – US star Sasha Cohen, the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics figure skating runner-up, withdrew on Monday from this week's Skate America meet at Lake Placid due to right calf tendinitis.
Cohen has been out of competition for three years but is hoping to make a comeback for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and also skipped her Grand Prix assignment last month in France due to the injury.
"I have been battling this injury for a while," Cohen said. "After meeting with my orthopedic surgeon, it was determined that in order for me to fully recover I should not compete this week."
Cohen, who announced last May she would attempt to qualify for Vancouver, will continue training and physical therapy to compete at the US Championships, the American Olympic qualifying meet, on January 14-24 at Spokane, Washington.
Only the two top US women will qualify for Vancouver.
Skate America would have been Cohen's first competition since the 2006 World Championships in Calgary, where she took a bronze medal.
"I?m very disappointed I won?t be able to compete in Lake Placid," Cohen said. "I?ve been going to physical therapy and training with every intention of being healthy and ready for this competition."
Emily Hughes, who finished seventh at the 2006 Olympics, will replace Cohen in the Skate America lineup. Hughes missed last year's event and was fourth at Skate America in 2007.
