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Jo
takes on the best in Moscow WEST Pennant Hills ice-skater Jo Carter will head into the world championships in Moscow with hopes of being selected for the winter Olympics. The Macquarie Ice Skating Club competitor is fresh from achieving Australia's best result at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in South Korea. The 24-year-old came fourth against 27 skaters at the tournament, held from February 14-20. "I've won international competitions before but this was quite a major international tournament," Carter said. While thrilled with snaring an Australian first, the challenge excluded European competitors, particularly the formidable Russian contingent. But they won't be absent at the world championships in Moscow, which Carter boards a plane for today (Wednesday). Carter, the only individual Australian female skater at the event, will vie to be one of the final 24 skaters among a field of 43 who will be selected into the winter Olympics in Italy next year. Carter came 12th in the 1998 Nagano games. She admitted it had been seven years since she competed at the World Championships so she was "not quite sure what to expect" but still felt prepared. "Everything's on track, particularly coming in with a result," she said. "It was a good result. I'm confident that I can do my best." Carter's achievements show she has regained form on the competitive scene. The qualified physiotherapist had to withdraw from formal competition until 2002 after a knee injury and unsuccessful operation. "The last time I was at the Worlds was in 1998 just after the (winter) Olympics and in '99 I had quite a bad knee injury which kept me off training...so it really did hamper my training," she said. "It was a long road back." Carter could be on course to achieving more accolades for the Aussies in Moscow but knows she has a tough task ahead. "The Russians, Americans and the Canadians are a big factor," she said. "I would assume that in Russia the Russians are expected to go well in all disciplines." |
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