Canada's Lacoste Makes Huge Comeback

Amélie Lacoste returned to skating after a long absence by winning the bronze medal in senior ladies at the 2009 Canadian Nationals.

"I knew it was possible to medal, but it wasn't my first idea," she said. "I just wanted to skate two good programs and make the National team."

After nationals, however, Lacoste became ill with a fever, sinus infection, and bronchitis. "The week after Nationals I didn't train on or off the ice," said the 20-year-old.

Back on the ice only four days before the Four Continents, Lacoste finished tenth, even after drawing to skate second in a field of 36 in the short program.

Nevertheless, she accomplished her goal of finishing in the top ten. "My technical score was good, but the second mark always depends on where you skate," she said.

"The crowd was unbelievable," Lacoste added. "After my first jump, I couldn't even hear my music anymore. It's my best performance of the year. My goal was to land five triples and I did it. I felt very calm and confident."

"It was a good experience competing against the best," said Lacoste of the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. "Almost like being at the World Championships. It's good preparation for Worlds and the Olympics."

Lacoste's goal is now to make it to the Olympics.

"I have Olympic rings on my ceiling in my room," said the student from Quebec. "Every night I see it when I go to sleep. It's my dream and I will work hard to achieve it. Being back on the international scene gives me a lot of confidence."

Lacoste was flying high in 2006, placing fifth at Canadians and 11th at the Four Continents Championships, but then she suffered a career-threatening injury that cost her the 2006-07 season.

"I hurt my right foot while I was practicing my triple Lutz in a practice in the Czech Republic for the Junior Grand Prix and had to withdraw," Lacoste recounted. "I didn't skate for five months, then tried to skate again but the pain was still bad. I saw lots of doctors but they didn't know what I had. Eventually I saw a surgeon in Atlanta who found that I had a fracture on my talus bone."

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