KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Adam Rippon was warming up for practice late last week, preparing to defend his U.S. figure skating title, when a seemingly innocuous movement was met with a loud crunch.
He knew immediately that he had broken his left foot.
X-rays and an MRI exam confirmed a sprain and broken fifth metatarsal, which will keep Rippon off the ice up to three months. And that means he’ll not only miss next week’s nationals in Kansas City, but also the world championships in March, where he will hope his compatriots perform well enough to give the Americans three spots for the Pyeongchang Olympics.