Weir and Lyaseck Finish Near the Top in Men's Qualifying at Worlds
by Sal Zanca, Special to U.S. Figure Skating Online |
| Johnny Weir in men's qualifying at the World Championships Photo by Michelle Wojdyla |
Event Results, News and Photos
(3/14/05) — Professional athletes are known for playing hurt.
How about skating hurt?
That's what Johnny Weir did … and Russia's Evgeny Plushenko.
Since arriving in Russia, an old injury to Weir's left landing foot has flared up. But he worked through the pain to finish fourth in his qualifying group at the 2005 World Figure Skating Championships Monday afternoon.
“I tried practicing in the morning and I skated for maybe 15 minutes, and it wasn't really possible,” said Weir, who had his left foot taped up as soon as he left the ice after qualifying. “So about an hour before I competed I had two injections in my foot so that I could at least try to skate.”
He took two injections of lidocaine to numb the area just below his big toe.
“It didn't feel right,” he said after the qualifying skate. “I didn't feel like myself, but I'm glad I was able to stick around and at least get through it. It shows me that I'm growing up and I'm becoming more mature as an athlete and a person.”
He hopes it will be better in time for the short program because he doesn't want to quit in the middle of an event. Weir had problems at the 2003 State Farm U.S. Championships when he withdrew in the middle of his free skate due to an injury. He said that made him want to go out there and skate Monday.
“I don't want to quit again,” he said. “That wasn't my style and I don't want to be that person again.”
He started off his qualifying skate with a triple Axel and had three more triples before things unraveled. He doubled a loop, eliminated a double Axel and singled a flip.
“In the air on all the jumps I felt like I was wobbling from side to side,” Weir said.
He scored 128.78 points, far behind Plushenko who won with 151.90 points. The qualifying round is multiplied by a factor of .25 and added on to the point total for the short program and free skate.
Plushenko was hurting, too. Even though he did eight triples, he didn't attempt a quad.
“Not today,” Plushenko said. “It was tough to skate. I still can't get my breath because of a tightening in my back. It's difficult to breathe.”
A groin injury followed by another back injury has hampered his conditioning.
“I have not been skating for two weeks and am back in action for two weeks only, so it's difficult to perform,” he said.
Plushenko was visibly exhausted. At the end of his program, he bent over and slowly skated around before coming back to take his bows.
His coach, Alexei Mishin, said they were considering withdrawing.
“He has pains in his back,” Mishin said. “It was not clear even this morning if he would be able to skate today."
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| Evan Lysacek in men's qualifying at the World Championships Photo by Michelle Wojdyla |
In his first trip to the World Championships, Evan Lysacek was almost the U.S.'s top point-scorer Monday. He finished with 128.50 points, just behind Weir's point total of 128.78.
Lysacek was third in his qualifying group behind Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland and 2004 World silver medalist Brian Joubert.
Lysacek was having a terrific program before falling on a triple Axel in the later stages.
He considers this competition a learning experience. After three silver medals at the World Junior Championships, he was ready to move up after finishing third at the 2005 State Farm U.S. Championships.
“I am learning so much here,” he said. “A lot of the competitors in my group have been doing it for a decade or more so I can learn a lot from them. So far I have been like a sponge and absorb any information I can.
“Next year is an Olympic year,” he continued. “I am really hoping to make the team so I am trying to gain so much experience throughout this year.”
Even the fall didn't bother him.
“That second triple Axel — I wanted it too much and I put a little extra steam into it,” he said. “That happens. I am learning with every competition.''
Goebel Glad To Be Back
After winning silver medals at both the 2002 and 2003 World Championships, an injury-plagued 2003-2004 season kept Timothy Goebel on the sidelines.
So to be in Moscow was something.
“My only goal for this year was to show up,” he said after finishing ninth in his qualifying group. “Considering my injury, and [that] my coach dropped me and I had to move cross country, just being here is an accomplishment.”
He has dealt with a lot of issues since October 2004. He switched coaches from Frank Carroll to Audrey Weisiger, woke up in Paris with a stiff neck at Trophee Eric Bompard that caused to miss two competitions, and he moved from California to Virginia.
During qualifying, the man usually known as the “Quad King” fell on his first quad attempt and had his second attempt downgraded to a triple. He also fell on a triple flip and popped a Lutz.
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| Takeshi Honda of Japan withdrew after injuring his ankle during men's qualifying. Photo by Michelle Wojdyla |
Takeshi Honda of Japan, a former World bronze medalist, had to withdraw after crashing to the ice during his first jump attempt. He had previously injured his ankle on Sunday. He was taken to the hospital Monday and was diagnosed with a sprained ankle.
“Takeshi's left ankle is now in a cast and he is resting at the hotel,” said Japanese assistant team leader Nobuhiko Yoshioka.
The short program is set for Tuesday evening and the free skate is on Thursday night.
