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| | Monday, March 27 Stojko wins men's title at 1997 world championships | |||||
| Elvis Stojko of Canada regained the men's title at the 1997 World Figure Skating Championship by using a quadruple-triple combination to rally from fourth place.
Stojko's task was made easier when Russia's Alexei Urmanov, who led after the short program, withdrew after warming up due to a groin injury he suffered.
"I tried today but I just can't jump," Urmanov said after the warmup where he was not jumping well.
Todd Eldredge of the United States, the defending champion, came in second after faltering on two jumps late in his program.
Alexei Yagudin, who turned 17 two days ago, was third.
Stojko completed the quad-triple combination, the same history-making combination he did earlier at the Champions Series final. He also added seven more triple jumps in a routine that earned him a perfect 6.0 from one judge.
The rest of his marks were either 5.9 or 5.8 as Stojko gained back the title he won in 1994 and 1995.
"This one is pretty special on its own way. I was skating well all year," Stojko said.
Stojko completed the quad-triple combination, the same history-making move he did earlier at the Champions Series final. He also added seven more triple jumps in a routine that earned him a perfect 6.0 from one judge.
The rest of his technical marks were either 5.9 or 5.8 as Stojko gained back the title he won in 1994 and 1995.
Stojko's technically superior routine put him in serious title contention, upping the pressure on Eldredge to perform. After the American completed his first seven triple jumps, he buckled on his second triple axel attempt and made it a single.
In the waning seconds of his routine - with a double axel scheduled - he appeared to be trying another triple axel. He went off balance in air and landed awkwardly and fell.
"I'm disappinted that I didn't win," Eldredge said. "But I'm not disappointed with the way I skated."
Eldredge got marks between 5.7 and 5.8 but Stojko was first in the long program.
Third went to Yagudin who moved up from fifth following the short program. Fourth was Ukraine Viacheslav Zagorodiuk with Ilya Kulik of Russia, faltering late in his program, fifth.
Urmanov's coach said the injury to Urmanov. "It happened yesterday during the short program," said Alexei Mischin. "It wasn't tactical why we waited so late to decide. "
Mischin also said that Urmanov had taken shots of analgesicsthroughout the late afternoon including one 20 minutes before the warmup but it didn't help.
| ALSO SEE ABC Sports looks back at the last three Mens World Championships Tara Lipinski (US) wins 1997 women's world title AUDIO/VIDEO  Elvis Stojko won the 1997 World Championship (Courtesy: ABC Sports)RealVideo: 56.6 | |||||
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