Chin Is Leader in U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Tiffany Chin, whose poor compulsory figures cost her a medal at the Sarajevo Olympics, won on all three figures Thursday to lead the women’s competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Debi Thomas, 17, of San Jose was second, followed by Jill Frost, 17, of Denver.

Chin, 17, of Toluca Lake, was one of the darlings of the Winter Games and both U.S. and foreign skating observers believe she could be the women’s star of the 1988 Games in Calgary.

She likely could have been the U.S. national champion last year, save for poor school figures.

“I was hoping to win the figures this year. I think this time I did the best figures I could do,” said Chin, who was fourth after the figures at nationals last year.

“It was different last year. I was the underdog and there were no real expectations. This year I’m feeling the pressure,” she said.

Last year, she beat both Rosalynn Sumners and Elaine Zayak in the short and long programs, dazzling the crowd with springy jumps and lovely skating. She got a standing ovation and first-place marks in those events.

At Sarajeveo, she finished 12th in figures, but second and third, respectively, in the short and long programs.