The leading medal contenders at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Dallas on Jan. 12-18 (skaters listed with their respective ages):

Women | Men | Pairs | Dance

Women
Sarah Hughes, 17
Olympic gold medalist still looking for her first U.S. title after finishing third and second last two years at nationals. ... Missed most of season with torn muscle behind her right knee, and looked rusty in two warmup competitions last month. ... Still, has some of toughest tricks in skating and artistry to equal them. ... Has handled post-Olympic crush with grace and maturity, enjoying her newfound fame yet managing to stay a levelheaded teenager.

Michelle Kwan, 22
Six-time U.S. champion is back after taking much of fall off. Won Skate America despite signing on only a week earlier as a replacement for injured Hughes. ... Has a coach again after going it on her own last year, now working with former U.S. men's silver medalist Scott Williams. ... Doesn't do tough tricks many of her young rivals have, but no one can match her artistry and grace when she's on. ... Despite coming up short at another Olympics -- she has bronze from Salt Lake City to go with silver from Nagano -- remains one of skating's most popular figures.

Sasha Cohen, 18
Is following her breakout season -- silver medalist at U.S. championships, fourth at Olympics -- with even stronger showing. She's been hottest female skater this season, winning Skate Canada and Trophee Lalique and finishing second at Cup of Russia. ... Split with longtime coach John Nicks and moved across country to train with Tatiana Tarasova in Connecticut. Tarasova has brought more dramatic quality to Cohen's skating, giving even more depth to her exquisite artistry.

Ann Patrice McDonough, 17
Reigning world junior champion. ... Won her first Grand Prix medal with stunning second-place finish at Skate America. Sixth after short program, she vaulted to second with impressive free skate. ... Forced to withdraw from her second Grand Prix event, Cup of Russia, because of visa problems. ... Sixth at 2002 nationals.

Jennifer Kirk, 18
Fourth at Skate America and sixth at Skate Canada. ... Fifth at 2002 nationals. ... Won Four Continents last season, though field was weaker than previous years because of Olympics. ... Withdrew from world championships because of injury. ... Now training with Richard Callaghan, who guided Tara Lipinski and Todd Eldredge.

Men
Timothy Goebel, 22
Bronze medalist at Salt Lake City Olympics, then followed with silver at world championships. ... Looking to regain U.S. title he won in 2001. ... Missed Grand Prix season with hip injury, though he did skate in three warmup competitions. ... "Quad King,'' he was first man to land three quads in one program. ... No other American man can match his technical ability, and his artistry has improved immensely since he began working with Frank Carroll two years ago.

Michael Weiss, 26
Two-time U.S. champion back for at least one more year. ... Split with longtime coach Audrey Weisiger in October and now works with Don Laws, formerly Scott Hamilton's coach. ... Has struggled with injuries and inconsistency last three seasons, and barely made 2002 Olympic team. Finished seventh in Salt Lake City. ... Got off to slow start this season, finishing fifth at Skate America. But he's made strides recently, winning Trophee Lalique with spectacular free skate and finishing second to Evgeny Plushenko at International Figure Skating Challenge.

Matt Savoie, 22
Finished fourth at nationals last year despite not having a quadruple jump. ... Won bronze medal at Skate America in October and finished fifth at Cup of Russia. ... Graduated from Bradley University and plans to go to law school. Works 30 hours a week as intern in legal department at Caterpillar.

Derrick Delmore, 24
1998 world junior champ still looking to duplicate that success at senior level. ... Was sixth at 2002 nationals, best finish since he was fifth in 1998. ... Began season with eighth-place finish at Skate America, and then was fifth at Skate Canada. ... Broke skate blade during one of his practices at Skate America and had to have friend ship him backup skates that arrived just hours before short program.

Pairs
Tiffany Scott and Philip Dulebohn
Silver medalists at last three nationals should have no problem capturing first U.S. title. ... Finished seventh at world championships and 13th at Olympics despite missing most of last season because Dulebohn was sidelined with stress fracture in his lower back/left hip area. ... Were sixth at Skate America in October, and had fifth-place finishes at Skate Canada and Trophee Lalique.

Rena Inoue and John Baldwin Jr.
Skating in only their third season together. ... Finished fifth at Cup of Russia. ... Made big strides in second season as a pair, finishing surprising fourth at 2002 nationals. Were seventh at Four Continents.

Jennifer Don and Jonathon Hunt
Competing in first season together, they finished second at two junior Grand Prix events. ... Won Eastern Sectional to qualify for nationals. ... Don is also accomplished singles skater, winning silver medal as a junior last year. She finished second at Eastern Sectional to qualify for first nationals as a senior.

Dance
Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev
Four-time defending U.S. champions might be challenged as they go for fifth title. ... Finished ninth at world championships for second time and 11th in first Olympics. ... Missed Grand Prix season for second straight year, this time because of tendinitis in Lang's ankle and a cyst on the tendon. ... Have had some turmoil in training life: Left Alexander Zhulin in August to train with Tatiana Tarasova and Nikoli Morosov, but Tarasova announced in December she was ending partnership with them. They're now working with Morosov.

Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto
Reigning world junior champs are steadily climbing rankings at senior level, with bronze medals at both Skate America and Trophee Lalique. ... Silver medalists at last two U.S. championships might be ready to challenge Lang and Tchernyshev. ... Watch for their free dance to an Elvis medley -- complete with sequin-covered white jumpsuit. It's a scream.

Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov
Bronze medalists at 2002 nationals in just first season together. ... Finished second at Nebelhorn Trophy, fifth at Skate America and eighth at Skate Canada. ... This is first season they're eligible to represent United States at international events because Petukhov previously competed for Russia.