2000 U.S. Champs Women's FS (ABC) | Michelle Kwan Wins Fourth Title & Sasha Cohen's Breakthrough

Summary: Michelle Kwan produced one of the great comeback victories of her career to capture a fourth U.S. national title in Cleveland after entering the free skate in the unfamiliar position of third place. Following an upset in the short program, where 15-year-old Sasha Cohen seized the lead and 14-year-old Sarah Hughes sat second, the defending champion faced intense pressure from a remarkable new generation of American talent. Sarah Hughes opened the final group with an elegant and technically ambitious performance, highlighted by an executed triple Salchow–triple loop combination. Angela Nikodinov followed with a powerful skate to music from The Mummy, while Andrea Gardiner delighted the Cleveland crowd with the performance of her career, earning a standing ovation after a confident program featuring five triple jumps. Kwan answered the challenge with trademark determination, landing six triple jumps in a graceful and composed performance to The Red Violin. Although she doubled the second jump of a planned triple toe–triple toe combination and fell on her triple loop, her exceptional artistry, refined skating skills and competitive resilience earned the highest presentation marks of the evening and lifted her into the lead. The night's artistic highlight came from Sasha Cohen, whose senior Nationals debut captivated audiences with extraordinary flexibility, lines and balletic presentation. Despite a minor error on a triple Lutz landing and a fall on her closing triple toe loop, Cohen delivered one of the most memorable performances of the championships, announcing herself as one of the brightest new stars in American skating. Naomi Nari Nam, another member of the talented teenage group, skated last but was hampered by jump errors and fell to eighth overall. Kwan's comeback secured her fourth U.S. title and third consecutive championship, joining the sport's most accomplished American champions. Cohen claimed a memorable silver medal in her first senior Nationals, while Hughes earned her first senior national podium finish with bronze. --- VHS60fps, American coverage (commentators: Dick Button, Peggy Fleming, Terry Gannon). The 2000 U.S. Figure Skating Championships took place between February 6 and 13, 2000 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Women's/ladies free skate (FS) performances shown here marked below (^): Rank Name Club TFP SP FS^ 1 Michelle Kwan Los Angeles FSC 2.5 3 1^ 2 Sasha Cohen Orange County FSC 2.5 1 2^ 3 Sarah Hughes The SC of New York 4.0 2 3^ 4 Angela Nikodinov All Year FSC 6.0 4 4^ 5 Andrea Gardiner Houston FSC 8.0 6 5^ 8 Naomi Nari Nam All Year FSC 11.5 5 9^ ---- Chapters 00:00 Sasha Cohen - Short Program 03:45 Women's free skate Intro 05:17 Tim Goebel's historic three-quad performance (recap) 07:17 The rise of the "Baby Ballerinas" 09:01 Final group preview & expert predictions 11:40 Sasha Cohen & Naomi Nari Nam profile 14:27 Sarah Hughes – Free Skate 21:10 Angela Nikodinov – Free Skate 28:01 Michelle Kwan – Free Skate (The Red Violin) 35:37 Andrea Gardiner – Free Skate 43:10 Sasha Cohen – Free Skate 51:23 Naomi Nari Nam – Free Skate 57:27 Interviews with Michelle, Sarah, Sasha 59:23 Final results, analysis & closing remarks --- #figureskating #フィギュアスケート #eiskunstlauf #фигурноекатание #피겨스케이팅 #pattinaggioartistico #patinageartistique #patinaçãoartística