Home favourite Adam Siao Him Fa withdraws from 2024 figure skating Grand Prix Final due to injury
The two-time European champion will take a three-week break from skating in the hope of making a full recovery ahead of the 2025 European Figure Skating Championships at the end of January.
Figure Skating
Two-time European champion Adam Siao Him Fa has pulled out of the 2024 Grand Prix Final, set to take place on his home ice in France, from 5-8 December in Grenoble, due to an ankle injury.
The French figure skater sustained the injury during the 2024 Cup of China and has opted to take a recommended three-week break after undergoing a medical assessment, the French Federation of Ice Sports announced on Wednesday (27 November) in a press release.
"Adam and his team are obviously disappointed with this situation, but the health and wellbeing of our athlete remains our top priority. This break is essential for Adam to return to full fitness, with the main goal of being ready for the European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia at the end of January," the press release said.
This is the latest injury setback for Siao Him Fa who had a delayed start to competing in the 2024/25 season after tearing a ligament in his right ankle during the off-season. He injured the same ankle again at a training camp in the European summer and was forced to stop skating for six weeks.
The 2024 world bronze medallist returned to the ice at the end of August and managed to regain his form enough to win the home Grand Prix de France in early November. He struggled in the short program, dropping to eighth place, but delivered a tenacious free skate to soar into the lead, thus becoming the first skater in any discipline to come from eighth place to first at a Grand Prix series event.
He finished third in his second Grand Prix assignment, the Cup of China, which was held from 22 to 24 November.
Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov will replace Siao Him Fa at the Grand Prix Final as the first alternate. He finished second at the Cup of China and fourth at the Grand Prix de France.