2005 World Championships

Evgeni Plushenko has won three World Championships.

Looking to the future

March 20, 2005

Evgeni Plushenko’s future had to be taken into account and that is among the reasons Plushenko withdrew from the World Championships. His status for touring with Champions On Ice is being discussed and will be decided this week.

The Champions On Ice tour begins March 26. Tours such as Champions on Ice provide skaters with much-needed finances to continue training. "He's really down and he's not really happy right now," Ari Zakarian, his long-time agent, said.

Although Plushenko, 22, has suffered from back and knee problems in the past, his groin injury developed during the European championships in Turin, an event that he won.

The groin injury severely hampered his training up to the Worlds and Plushenko only got about a week and a half of work in before qualifying last Monday. He gained weight and his conditioning was affected as his breathing was labored after the long program in qualifying.

"He's the kind of guy who can push himself through the pain," said
Zakarian. "But the groin can take you out for the whole entire season. We had to think about his overall healthy and the Olympics next year."

According to a medical bulletin issued at the World Championships, Plushenko is suffering from an adductor muscle inflammation syndrome - which is a groin injury to the left side of his lower abdomen.

The injury is similar to the chronic injury that ended or shortened the careers of Viktor Petrenko, Alexei Urmanov and three-time world champ Elvis Stojko. The wear on the body of doing quads is reportedly a big reason for the increase in groin-related injuries.

"The quad-triple (combo) is the only one that is really dangerous for him,'' said Zakarian. ''He can do his triple jumps without problems (when he's healthy)."

Plushenko’s injury was among the top news items in Moscow last week. "The biggest stories in Moscow are the ones about somebody trying to blow up a Russian politician's car and the ones about Plushenko,'' said Zakarian.

Plushenko was given a painkilling injection into his shoulder before last Tuesday’s short program. ''After this injection, I felt really bad and I felt sick,'' Plushenko said.

He fell on his opening quad toe loop. He was doubled over in obvious pain after his practices and performances all week. He complained of a sore hip afterwards, and coach Alexei Mishin said he had a bad back, too.

"My health is not good – everywhere. I am injured right now and in very, very bad condition,'' Plushenko told Eurosport.

Plushenko said he felt the need to skate because the championships were being held in his home country.

Zakarian said Plushenko went to Thursday morning’s practice but after talking with coach Alexei Mishin, Plushenko decided to withdraw.

He did not try a quad in his qualifying round victory but did try a quad in the short program.

"I try to do the impossible," he said. "Last week in St. Petersburg, I couldn't even do the triple Axel and fell on the triple Lutz. I don't want to defend myself. I skated badly." At home in St. Petersburg, he said he got an injection in the groin and it helped him train. But five days before the world championship, the groin started to hurt again. He took painkiller pills before the practices and qualifying.

Plushenko left Moscow last Thursday to return to St. Petersburg to attend a new athlete rehabilitation centre – open only this year.

Plushenko will not perform in an ice show today in St. Petersburg. "The whole city is going to come and see him," Zakarian said. "We don't want to him to be disappointed that he will not be able to perform or they (not to see) him perform as well.

"For him right now, he could skate, but we just worry about if he does the hard elements," Zakarian said.

Injuries force Plushenko to withdraw

March 17, 2005

Defending champion Evgeni Plushenko withdrew from the World Figure Skating Championships on Thursday because of a groin injury.

"We took a decision that it was necessary to withdraw and better prepare and recover for the next season, because it will be the main season in my career -- the Olympic Games," Plushenko told Russia's Channel One television.

Plushenko earlier complained of several ailments and insufficient practice. He said he began training for the worlds only two weeks ago.

Plushenko fell on his opening quad toe loop in Tuesday's short program and was in third place behind Switzerland's Stephane Lambiel and Brian Joubert of France.

Plushenko's withdrawal ended Russian skaters' chances of sweeping the titles on home ice and endangered their chances of securing three men's slots for the 2006 Turin Olympics.

Plushenko was one of several top contenders struggling with injuries, including two-time American champion Johnny Weir.

Plushenko third after short program

March 15, 2005

Three-time World champion Evgeni Plushenko is in third place after the short program Tuesday at the 2005 World Championships in Moscow.

The defending champion trails Switzerland’s Stephane Lambiel by seven points and 1.4 points behind Brian Joubert of France who is in second.

Plushenko battled a groin injury and has had hip and back injuries coming into the World championships. He waited until the last minute to announce he would skate in his qualifying group on Monday. It was unclear, because of his pain, whether he would continue in the short program.

It’s a disheartening blow to Plushenko, competing in his homeland. He took an unspecified injection before Tuesday’s short program to lessen the pain. Plushenko has had a limited competitive season and his injuries have kept his practices to a minimum.

Plushenko missed his quad but completed his remaining jumps in an otherwise excellent program.

He didn’t downplay the severity of his injury. Plushenko has Wednesday scheduled for practice, although that decision will be made later in the day.

"I have been back on the ice for only two weeks and I am in bad,  bad, bad condition," Plushenko said. "But I have to skate here in Moscow. "When you are in such a condition, you could always expect a bad thing to happen and (Tuesday) I fell on the quad. However, given the circumstances, I am satisfied with my performance. It is not too bad for such little training time."

On Thursday he will skate first in the final group. Plushenko will need to win the free skate and hope he gets a little help to win his fourth World championship.

"I have a very bad situation right now because I've been skating only for two weeks," Plushenko said.

Plushenko has not finished out of first place since 2000, when he finished fourth. He did not compete at Worlds in 2002, the year he earned the Olympic Silver medal.

Plushenko first after qualifying round

March 14, 2005

Men's qualifying began Monday in Moscow, Russia, at the 2005 World Championships, and despite nursing a groin injury, Evgeni Plushenko remained first in his qualifying group with 151.90 points.

The qualification points will count 25 percent of the score and Evgeni will go with 37.97 points to the short program rich starts Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. (Moscow time).

Plushenko skated cautiously Sunday, on the eve of the men's qualifying rounds, and missed three jumps in a row at the opening of practice. He spent much of the session consulting with coach Alexei Mishin.

Plushenko was still not sure he'd be able to compete late Sunday.

Plushenko won last year's World Championship despite nursing a knee injury. He had it examined in the U.S. after the season and decided to forego surgery.

He came into the 2004-05 season planning to skip the ISU Grand Prix Series. However, when he won the Cup of Russia, and a skater withdrew, Plushenko was elevated into the GP Final. He won the championship at Beijing and followed that up with his sixth National Championship and his fourth European Championship.