U.S. champ Gold withdraws from Grand Prix Final with foot injury
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- U.S. figure skating champion Gracie Gold has withdrawn from the Grand Prix Final because of a stress fracture in her left foot.
Gold said in a statement Thursday that "my ultimate goals for this year are to win another U.S. title and make the podium at worlds. These are the factors that my team and I used to make this very difficult decision."
The Grand Prix Final is Dec. 11-14 in Barcelona. The 19-year-old Gold qualified after winning her first Grand Prix Series event, NHK Trophy, last week in Japan.
Gold finished fourth at the Sochi Olympics in February.
The women's competition at the U.S. Championships starts Jan. 22, and the world championships are in late March.
Ashley Wagner will be the only individual American skater to compete at the Grand Prix Final.
