Irish dancer Tristan McManus and his Olympic gold medal winner partner Dorothy Hamill side stepped out of ABC’s ballroom on Tuesday due to Hamill’s medical condition. They are the first couple to leave the competition this season.

She is currently suffering from a spinal cyst. Hamill, who won the 1976 Olympic gold medal for figure skating, and McManus were the first couple to leave the competition in the sixteenth season of “Dancing with the Stars.” Their exit saved “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Lisa Vanderpump and partner Gleb Savchenko or boxer Victor Ortiz and partner Lindsay Arnold from elimination.

Realitytvworld.com reported that at the end of the show Hamill explained to the judges and host Tim Bergeron, “I have taken the advice of my spine surgeon and I need to withdraw from the competition. I have an injury that could be irreparable and nerve damage, and it would be completely unfair for me to stay in this and have any of these people go home.”

She added, “I can’t do what I need to and the rest of life [being] physical as an athlete is important. I can’t do [Tristan] justice and these are the most amazing people who want to be here. And it’s not that I don’t want to be here, but I wish I could give it my all and I can’t.”

McManus said about her decision, “Well, I mean, it’s a decision that has to be made, you know? I’m certainly not frustrated at her, I’m frustrated ‘with’ her. That’s the important thing all the time-- there’s something a lot bigger going on than this competition, as great as it is, you know what I mean?”

McManus and Hamill were tied for eighth place out of twelve with two other couples before the elimination. The results show also featured two guest performances. Icona Pop sang her hit song “I love It.” Professional dancers performed to Josh Groban’s “Brave.”

The remaining eleven couples will dance again during a two hour performance show on Monday, April 1. The scores they receive from the judges and home viewers' voting will be combined and one couple will be eliminated during the results show on Tuesday, April 2.

Watch McManus and Hamill dance here