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Cohen eyes comeback at Vancouver Games

OLYMPIC silver medalist Sasha Cohen is planning a comeback for Vancouver.

Cohen confirmed on Wednesday she will return to competitive figure skating in hopes of earning a spot at next year's Vancouver Games. She has submitted paperwork to US Figure Skating that would make her eligible for grand prix events this autumn.

"I've been excited," Cohen said by phone from Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she was touring with Stars on Ice. "Every day it's closer and real, so it's very exciting to me."

Although the 24-year-old hasn't competed since the 2006 worlds, where she won the bronze medal, her decision to return was a huge boost for US figure skating and could help the Americans avoid an embarrassing showing in Vancouver.

US women have dominated figure skating, winning seven Olympic golds, including three of the last five. They've claimed at least one medal at every Games since 1952 except in 1964, which came three years after a plane crash killed the entire US team.

But the Americans have struggled without Cohen and Michelle Kwan, who also hasn't skated since 2006. The US women failed to win a medal at the world championships in March, the third straight year they've gone home empty-handed.

Perhaps most troubling, the Americans are no longer a driving force in the Winter Olympics' glamour sport. The star power is now in Asia, where Kim Yu-na and Mao Asada have a captivating rivalry that is sure to carry into Vancouver.

Cohen, however, remains popular and was the main attraction for Stars on Ice.





 

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