Kwan draws 15th spot for short program

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Michelle Kwan couldn't have asked for a better draw for the women's short program.

The six-time U.S. champion and gold medal favorite drew the 15th spot Tuesday night, making her the last of the top women to skate. That also puts her in the same warmup as Russian challengers Irina Slutskaya and Maria Butyrskaya.

Slutskaya skates 13th, one spot behind Butyrskaya.

Sarah Hughes drew the worst spot of the top women, skating fifth in the opening group. Fellow American Sasha Cohen drew the sixth spot, but is in the second warm-up.

"Usually I wouldn't like it very much, but most of what I would call the good girls are in the first half," John Nicks, Cohen's coach, said of the draw. "It's a first-half competition."

The short program is worth one-third of the final score. The free skate, worth two-thirds, is Thursday night.

 

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