Indian figure skater Tara Prasad, on Tuesday, pulled out of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics qualifying event, scheduled to begin in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China from Thursday.
The 25-year-old Tara Prasad withdrew from the Milano Figure Skating Qualifier due to a back injury, thereby missing her last opportunity to clinch quotas for individual figure skating events.
“It was a difficult decision but I have withdrawn from the Olympic qualifying event,” Tara wrote on an Instagram post. “I was looking forward to showing my improvement in skating regardless of the result, but I had a major setback this year with back pain.”
The qualifying event for Milano Cortina 2026 is being held from September 18 to 21. A total of 17 quotas are available, with five each in the men’s and women’s singles as well as three in the doubles event and four in ice dance.
Tara Prasad said the decision was crucial to safeguard her long-term skating career, while assuring that she will be back on the ice soon.
“At the stage of recovery I am at as well as the nature of the injury, I have decided with my coaches and health professionals to withdraw so that I can skate safely in the future,” Tara Prasad said.
“Thank you to my federation for all the opportunities that I have been given and I will recover and be back soon. Things happen in life but we will stay positive!” she added.
Tara Prasad, who secured an eighth-place finish in the women’s figure skating event at the Asian Winter Games earlier this year, is a three-time national champion.
She also finished as a silver medallist at the Reykjavík International Games in Iceland and the Skate Celje in Slovenia last year.
Milano Cortina 2026 is scheduled to be held from February 6 to 22 in Milan, Italy.