Chinese pairs skater Zhang Dan, who won a silver medal in the
Turin Olympics, is expected to make a full recovery with two
weeks.?
Chinese pairs skater Zhang Dan's fall looked a lot more gruesome
than it really was.
The silver medalist was walking without crutches or a limp on
Thursday, three days after the fall, and a Chinese team physician
said he expects her to make a full recovery within two weeks.
Dr Ji Chunnan said Zhang Dan has a mild sprain of one of the
posterior cruciate ligament in her left knee and some swelling.
"The injury will not affect my future in competition," Zhang Dan
said on Thursday. "The ligament on the left leg is a little bit
sprained."
Zhang was hurt in Monday night's free skate when she and partner
Zhang Hao were attempting an unprecedented throw quad salchow.
She touched down awkwardly on her right foot, her ankle caving
toward the ice, and then her left leg came down in a froglike
split. She spun into the sideboards as the crowd gasped in
horror.
With the fans clapping in support, the referee allowed it, and
Zhang and Zhang nailed every element in the final four minutes to
seal the silver medal.
Zhang Dan was examined by doctors at the Palavela after the
medals ceremony. She went to a local hospital on Tuesday, where Ji
said X-rays, an MRI and an ultrasonic check showed there was no
serious injury or muscle damage.
She is getting ice and is supposed to stay off of her feet.
Accupuncture might be done if Zhang is still feeling pain this
weekend, Ji said.
The duo plans to go to next month's world championships, where
they will be favored to win the title now that gold medalists
Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin have retired.
Less certain is the future of bronze medalist Shen Xue and Zhao
Hongbo, who came to the Olympics only six months after he tore his
Achilles' tendon. Asked what his plans were, Zhao Hongbo said, "I
really want my left foot to take a good rest.
"We are not considering our retirement here," He said. "We will
talk about it when we return to China."
If Shen and Zhao don't compete, Chinese coach Yao Bin said no
one would replace them. "They will decide by themselves, we will
not decide for them," Yao said. "The other two teams will
definitely go."
(Shanghai Daily February 19, 2006)