Russian pairs skater Tatiana Totmianina sat in a wheelchair inside Mercy Hospital, Uptown, Sunday with a swollen eye and large bump on her head and talked about the Olympics.
That was the first sign she is on her way to recovery after a scary fall Saturday night in the pairs free skate competition of Smart Ones Skate America at Mellon Arena. Halfway through her performance with partner Maxim Marinin, Totmianina fell 10 feet and smacked the right side of her face on the ice. The two were attempting a lasso lift, where the male skater swings the female above his head. Marinin, 6-foot-3-inches, who was most likely going at 40 mph, slipped. She was unconscious for several minutes, but awake once she arrived at Mercy Hospital about 20 minutes later.
"Of course, I want to get back on the ice (today)," said a groggy Totmianina, 23, who was discharged yesterday, but said the pain was an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. "What do you think, I am going to die⢠I will be back."
Not for at least 10 days, however. That's the recommendation by Dr. Larry Jones, Chief of Trauma at Mercy Hospital, who was on call Saturday. Mercy Hospital was the medical partner for Skate America, an international skating event.
Jones ordered X-rays of her head and neck which did not show any brain damage. She also had neurological checks done throughout the night. Jones diagnosed a concussion, and ordered rest for at least a week to 10 days.
Injuries in figure skating are not unusual, especially in pairs where athletes attempt difficult elements, Totmianina's coach Oleg Vassiliev said. The couple made a simple technical mistake. He said the ice surface was fine and was pleased with the paramedics' response. He added U.S. Figure Skating will pay Totmianina's medical expenses.
Val Belmonte, executive director of U.S. Figure Skating, agreed Totmianina received the best care from the arena and hospital. Mellon Arena assistant general manager Brian Chiera said the facility is always ready to handle such an accident.
Totmianina's fall won't keep United States pairs skaters Rena Inoue and John Baldwin Jr. off the ice. Inoue said she was shocked because world champion Totmianina and Marinin, 27, are usually the most consistent.
"It was just a fluke thing," Baldwin said. "We understand that is part of pairs skating. The show must go on."
There is no one to blame, Vassiliev said. He added that Marinin, who spent the night by Totmianina's side, is depressed.
"Figure skating is a sport where you can get serious injury," Vassiliev said. "Skaters are trying to do harder elements and jumps, which are more dangerous, to earn higher marks under the new scoring system. They perform at high speeds, and injuries can happen."
