U.S. OLYMPIC FESTIVAL LOS ANGELES 1991 : Kwiatkowski Figures as One of Best in U.S. : Women’s skating: Problem is, extraordinary depth may keep her from competing in the Winter Olympics.

Tonia Kwiatkowski of Broadview Heights, Ohio, is, by most accounts, one of the top half-dozen or so female skaters in the world.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that she will be competing in the Winter Olympics next year.

Kwiatkowski could end up a victim of the extraordinary U.S. depth in ladies’ singles.

Those who will compete with Kwiatkowski, 20, for three spots on the Olympic team next January include Jill Trenary, a three-time U.S. champion and former world champion; Kristi Yamaguchi, the reigning world champion; Tonya Harding, the reigning national champion and silver medalist in the World Championships; Nancy Kerrigan, bronze medalist in the World Championships this year; and Holly Cook, bronze medalist in the World Championships last year.

“The depth in the United States is just incredible,” said Kwiatkowski, who is competing this weekend in the U.S. Olympic Festival at the Forum. “It’s frustrating, but I think it makes you tougher. You’re always competing against all these good people. It keeps you sharp.”

Kwiatkowski found some pretty good competition at the Forum Saturday. After the short program, she was in second place behind 13-year-old Nicole Bobek of Chicago. Bobek finished seventh in last year’s Olympic Festival.

On Saturday, Bobek performed a routine that had the sparse crowd clapping along. Early in her routine, she completed a double Lutz-triple toe loop combination.

“When I’m doing good and the audience is feeling good, I do even better,” she said.

In third place was Lisa Ervin, 14, of Lakewood, Ohio, who trains with Kwiatkowski. “There’s no pressure on me because I’m just moving up from juniors,” Ervin said.

Ervin moved up when Joanna Ng missed a required double jump and finished fourth.

Kwiatkowski finished fourth in the U.S. Championships last February despite cutting herself in practice a few days before the event, a mishap that opened a gash on top of her right foot. Four stitches were required to close the cut. The swelling kept her out of practice for two days.

Sixth after the original program, Kwiatkowski moved up two places after the long program.

“For her, it was a wonderful nationals,” said Carol Heiss Jenkins, a former Olympic gold medalist and Kwiatkowski’s coach.

“I think somebody else would have said, ‘Oh, there’s just no way I can do this under this kind of pressure and these circumstances.’

“Tonia’s philosophy was, ‘They’re not going to hold off nationals for me, so the worst I can do is tear the stitches and it will take a little longer to heal.’ But it took a lot of courage. For her to be fourth was really good.”

If Kwiatkowski had finished among the top three and qualified for the World Championships, Jenkins said, she probably would have earned a medal in the international competition at Munich. Yamaguchi led a U.S. sweep of the medals at the worlds.

Since then the competition at home, especially in Kwiatkowski’s case, has grown even more stellar. Trenary, who did not compete last season because of an ankle injury, is attempting a comeback. And in April, after splitting with longtime coach Carlo Fassi, Trenary took up with Jenkins, who has coached Kwiatkowski for 12 years.

“I had mixed feelings,” Kwiatkowski said of Jenkins’ decision to take on one of her most accomplished rivals. “I thought it was great (for Jenkins), but then I thought, ‘What if I get pushed to the background?’ But that hasn’t happened. We get along. We talk. It’s working out all right.”

Skating isn’t an end-all for Kwiatkowski, whose style was described by Jenkins as “perky” and “enthusiastic.” An honor student in high school, she is a junior majoring in communications at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.

“I do skate and I’m proud of it,” said Kwiatkowski, who lives in a dormitory room on campus, “but there are other things in life.”

Still, skating takes up a majority of her time. And hopes of qualifying for the Winter Olympics at Albertville, France, next February occupy her thoughts.

“I just need to skate and not worry about it,” she said of her chances. “If I make it, I make it. And if not . . . well, I know I’ve given it my all and that I’ve done everything I need to do. I’d love to make it--that’s my dream.”

If she doesn’t, would she keep at it for another two years and attempt to qualify for the 1994 Winter Olympics at Lillehammer, Norway?

“I’m really not going to worry about that until I really need to make a decision,” Kwiatkowski said. “It just depends on how I do this year and what happens and how I feel my chances are.”

According to Jenkins, it’s much too early for Kwiatkowski to think about 1994. Her chances of making the Olympics next year, despite the competition, are as good as anybody’s.

“It’s going to be a dynamite nationals,” Jenkins said of the women’s competition at Orlando, Fla. “If they all skate well, I wouldn’t want to be a judge.”

After her performance on the opening day of the Festival, Kwiatkowski said, “It’s a good start to the season. I’m glad to be healthy.”