Skater Zhang strained ligament in fall

[zhangheyin]

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BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Zhang Dan, who won a silver medal after lifting herself up from a crashing fall in the pairs figure skating to finish her program, has suffered a ligament strain in her left knee, Xinhua news agency said.

"We took Zhang Dan to a local hospital and had a full check-up," Xinhua quoted Ji Chunnan, a doctor in the Chinese camp in Turin, as saying. "The result was quite optimistic. There is a ligament strain in her left knee."

Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao, contenders for the gold medal, won silver on Monday when an attempted quadruple Salchow spin went wrong.

Zhang landed in the splits and had to stop. Five minutes later the 20-year-old returned to the ice and continued to skate, complete with twists and throws, to the delight of the crowd who cheered her every move.

"There is still pain in my knee but I feel better now," Zhang Dan was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

"The doctor advised me no walking for five days ... I hope the injury will heal in time to compete at the 2006 World Championships (March 20-26 in Calgary)."