Lipinski feels no pain after ending golden grind

Copyright 2000 The Dallas Morning News

It's hard to picture Tara Lipinski in too much pain to put on a pair of shoes, after what she has done in a pair of skates.

At 15, Lipinski, of Sugar Land, Texas, became figure skating's youngest-ever individual gold medalist at the 1998 Winter Olympics.

She promptly turned pro after the Nagano Games. A chorus of critics attacked her decision not to remain an amateur and go for two, as in Olympic gold medals. After all, she would be just 19 for the home ice of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. She already excelled at the jumps that have overtaken artistry as the ticket in Olympic-style skating.

Lipinski had it made, right?

Right up until the searing pain became too much. Some days, the agony transformed her from an old pro to someone who felt just very, very old.

"I couldn't wear shoes," said Lipinski, who will perform with the Target Stars on Ice show at Reunion Arena Saturday night. "Sometimes, I would barely be able to get up and brush my teeth. Walking would hurt."

Heck of a way to have to picture a world-class athletic teenager.

Lipinski underwent successful surgery to repair a soft-tissue injury to her right hip last September. She said she since has come to appreciate many aspects of her life. Lipinski made it clear she has no regrets about her decision not to try to stick around and defend her Olympic title.

"I won't be 100 percent for almost another four months," said Lipinski, the 1997 world champion. "I think the pain really discouraged me, on and off the ice. Can you imagine the situation I'd be in if I stayed amateur?"

Those in the hunt for Olympic berths showed their skills at the State Farm U.S. Championships in Boston last week. Two of the top women - Naomi Nari Nam and Sasha Cohen - withdrew with a hip injury and a back injury, respectively. That took out the 1999 and 2000 national silver medalists. Several others withdrew from the women's competition because of injuries.

Lipinski's mother, Pat, has said her daughter's hip problems began before the 1998 Olympics. Skaters take a pounding when they land jump after jump, especially the combinations in which triples have become the norm.

Jumping, however, appears more and more dominant in figure skating. A new jumping competition for Olympic-eligible skaters will occur in Lyon, France, on March 3-4. Despite the $20,000 purses for winners in each category, many skaters probably will skip the new event, because of their preparations for the World Championships in Vancouver later that month.

Professional skating events do not require the number of jumps specified for Olympic-style competitions. Not that Lipinski doesn't do plenty of leaps during the 65-city Stars on Ice tour.

"I'm having a ball," Lipinski said. "I get to spend time at home in Sugar Land. Our house even won 'Garden of the Month' a couple of times."

Lipinski said she followed the Olympic-style skaters for a while after she turned pro. Eventually, she said, her career in pro skating and her television acting roles left her little time to keep up with the Michelle Kwans of the world.

The idea of trying for another Olympic gold medal did not appeal to her, Lipinski said.

"There really was no point for me to stay amateur," she said. "I think I'm a better skater now."

The surgery also helped her sort out her feelings.