Russia's 15-year-old figure skating prodigy Elizaveta Tuktamysheva may skip Skate Canada due to injury and growing pains, her coach said Tuesday.
Last year's ISU Grand Prix event marked the breakthrough for Tuktamysheva, who won the short program and came second in the free skate to claim overall gold in her first appearance on the circuit.
Tuktamysheva, who has been touted as a big gold medal hope for Russia at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, only entered that event to replace the injured Sarah Meier.
But she is yet to compete this season and may not be in Ontario to defend her title, coach Alexei Mishin told R-Sport.
"Liza had a back and knee injury. And another problem is her transitional age," Mishin said. "It's a tough period in the life of every girl, and Liza is going through it right now."
Tuktamysheva is scheduled to appear at the second Grand Prix event of the season, the Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris on November 16-18.
