Solid footing for ladies
By John Powers, Globe Staff, 1/11/2002

LOS ANGELES - She was the invisible woman last year, sitting in the 
FleetCenter stands with her aching back. Out of commission, out of view. 
Yesterday afternoon at Staples Center, Sasha Cohen made a reentry worthy 
of a diva, skating a lyrical short program at the US Figure Skating 
Championships to put herself in reach of Olympus. 

''It was a great skate for me,'' said the 17-year-old Cohen, after she 
placed second behind five-time champion Michelle Kwan and ahead of last 
year's world team members Sarah Hughes and Angela Nikodinov. ''A really 
pleasing performance. I don't think I could have done any better.''
It was an extraordinary day all around, with the top nine women all 
skating cleanly and three of them getting first-place marks. So tough was 
the field that Jennifer Kirk of Newton, Mass., who was fourth last year, 
was sixth.
''I did exactly what I wanted to do,'' said the 17-year-old Kirk, who 
hadn't competed in an individual event since early November because of 
foot tendinitis. ''I'm so happy with myself right now.''
Happy, too, was Kwan, who cruised coolly through her program and earned 
seven first-place marks, including seven 5.9s for artistry. ''Just to do a 
good performance is very satisfying,'' said Kwan, who'll become the first 
woman since Gretchen Merrill (1943-48) to win six titles if she prevails 
tomorrow night. ''There's things I could make a little better, a little 
stronger.''
Barring a multitumble disaster, the four-time world champion figures to 
continue her reign. But the battle among the ladies-in-waiting for the 
other two Olympic spots will be fierce.
Hughes, the global bronze medalist, and Nikodinov, who has made the last 
three US teams, figured to have them locked up when the week began. But 
Cohen, who was second to Kwan in 2000, emerged from the shadows with a 
graceful effort that evoked the Bolshoi.
The judges, who hadn't seen the ballerina's daughter skate that well in 
two years, had her everywhere from first to fourth. When she ended up just 
behind Kwan overall, nobody was grousing - not even Hughes. ''I'm pleased 
with my performance,'' said the 16-year-old Hughes, who thought she skated 
her best short of the season. ''I couldn't have done any better.''
Even coach John A.W. Nicks, who's frequently exasperated by Cohen's blend 
of steel and mercury, was happy to give her general absolution. ''When my 
young protege, the beautiful Miss Cohen, skates like that, all is 
forgiven,'' he declared.
''How much is there to forgive?'' Nicks was asked.
''You have no idea,'' Nicks replied. ''You have no idea at all.''