Comeback Cohen in contention for Games figure skate berth

Sasha Cohen turned back the clock at the US Figure Skating Championships Thursday with a strong short programme that put her in solid contention for a third Olympic berth.

Cohen, the 2006 Olympic silver medallist who hadn't competed since earning bronze at the the 2006 World Championships, showed all of her old grace, bringing the crowd to their feet with a programme that put her second behind Mirai Nagasu.

Cohen, whose oft-delayed comeback had many questioning her ability to return to full form in time to book a spot on the US team for the Vancouver Olympics next month, nailed a triple Lutz-double toe jump combination.

She followed with a triple flip that had the crowd cheering.

"At the end of the programme to see all those people standing just made me so happy to be here, to be competing after so many obstacles I had to overcome," said Cohen, who had a personal-best short programme score of 69.93. "Just a really special night."

Nagasu led the opening phase of the competition with a score of 70.06, while Rachael Flatt was third on 69.35.

Nagasu opened her programme with a triple lutz-double toe combination and cruised the rest of the way.

Flatt, who skated early, was a bit shaky on a triple flip-triple toe combination and on another triple jump.

For only the second time since 1924, only two women will represent the United States at the Olympics. The lack of a third berth ratchets up the pressure even more at these nationals.

Ashley Wagner, the only American woman to qualify for the Grand Prix Final this season, fell on a triple lutz and was fourth with 62.55 points.

She was followed by Christina Gao and Amanda Dobbs.

Defending national champion Alissa Czisny's Olympic hopes were all but extinguished as she fell on a triple lutz that was meant to be the first jump in a combination. She is lying seventh heading into Saturday's deciding free skate.

Earlier Thursday, defending champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White edged Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto in the ice dance compulsory dance.

Davis and White scored 45.42 points while 2006 Olympic runners-up Belbin and Agosto, five-time US champions who were sidelined last year by injury, finished second on 45.02. Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre were third at 37.60.

All duos skated to the Golden Waltz in the compulsory dance, the first of three stages of the competition that continues with Friday's original dance and concludes with Saturday's free dance. The United States has three Olympic ice dance berths in Vancouver.