Baiul Hurt In Crash At Practice -- Collision Also Injures Germany's Szewczenko

HAMAR, Norway - World champion Oksana Baiul needed three stitches in her right shin and Germany's Tanja Szewczenko suffered a bruised rib and nausea when they collided during practice today.

Szewczenko was carried off the ice and Baiul skated off. Szewczenko returned, did one jump, looked relieved, but then left the ice. Baiul did not return.

Both were expected to compete in tomorrow's free skate. Baiul is second behind Nancy Kerrigan.Oksana Baiul Szewczenko is fifth.

The skaters were going full speed backward when they crashed into each other near the sideboards. Both went down immediately as Baiul's elbow slammed into Szewczenko's ribs.

Katarina Witt of Germany helped a stunned Baiul to her feet, while Chen Lu of China helped Szewczenko. But the German champion, holding her midsection and having trouble breathing, had to be lifted over the boards by her coach and U.S. team leader Mahlon Bradley.

"She can't do anything today, but tomorrow I think she will be OK," said German team doctor Salim Al-Bazaz.

Szewczenko's injury was on the right hip side.

Baiul left the ice under her own power, bleeding just above her right boot. Olympic officials said she needed three stitches to her shin and also was icing her back, under the care of Dr. Gunnar Hattevig, who said the injury was not serious.

"She spiked herself with her own skate," Hattevig said. "It's a little cut, approximately 3 centimeters (a little more than an

inch). It was just on the top, there was no damage to the nerve or bone.

"She was very tough. She cried very, very little. I didn't give her anything for the pain except a local anesthetic."

He added that Baiul had soreness in her lower back, but pulled no muscles.