Quebec's Joannie Rochette, whose mother died on the eve of the Olympic figure-skating competition, has withdrawn from the world figure skating championships.
The Olympic bronze medallist says she is not ready to skate in the competition next week in Turin, Italy.
"With everything that has happened over the past few weeks, I have missed a significant amount of training time," the 24-year-old said in a statement.
"That means I'm not prepared either emotionally or physically to skate well at these championships and once again challenge for the podium."
Rochette captured bronze at last month's Vancouver Winter Games less than a week after her mother died of a heart attack.
The Ile-Dupas native is the reigning world silver medallist.
Rochette's spot on the Canadian team will be filled by Myriane Samson, 22, of St.-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec.
