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Kwan trails 2 skaters at World Championship
Associated Press
NAGANO, Japan — Michelle Kwan created a big obstacle for herself Friday at the World Figure Skating Championships when she stumbled out of a combination jump in the short program and landed in third place.
Now she trails Russian rival Irina Slutskaya and Japanese favorite Fumie Sugari entering Saturday's finale, the free skate.
Yoshie Onda of Japan was fourth, with Sasha Cohen of the United States fifth.
For Kwan to win her third consecutive world championship and fifth overall, she needs to win the free skating and have someone else beat Slutskaya, as well.
A jump from third is not out of the question, though. At the Olympics, Sarah Hughes leaped from fourth to upset Slutskaya and Kwan to take the gold medal.
However, Hughes is not in Nagano and Slutskaya looks confident to continue her winning streak against Kwan and finally gain a world title. Slutskaya has beaten Kwan all four times they met this season and seven of the last nine.
Yet in 2000, Kwan rose from third to win the world title.
Kwan stumbled out of her triple lutz in the first part of a combination jump. For that, she received technical marks between 5.2 and 5.4, low for the four-time world champion.
Slutskaya was flawless in her routine, earning two perfect 6.0s for presentation to a Schubert melody.
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March 23, 2002
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