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Rivals Out to Snatch Gold From Slutskaya

Slutskaya practicing Saturday for Tuesday evening's short program in Turin. Eric Gay
TURIN, Italy -- Twenty-eight of the world's most talented and skillful figure skaters have only one aim at the Winter Olympics -- to stop Irina Slutskaya from climbing to the top of the podium.

The Russian is the overwhelming favorite to win the only gold medal missing from her collection when the women's competition begins on Tuesday with the short program.

Slutskaya won an unprecedented seventh European women's title in Lyon, France, and could again skate into the record books by becoming the first Russian to win her Olympic discipline.

"Feeling good and happy to be here," Slutskaya told reporters on Sunday.

Despite the country's dominance of figure skating, the women's Olympic crown has, surprisingly, always eluded them.

Slutskaya's second-place finish behind Sarah Hughes in 2002 was the first time a Russian woman had even claimed a silver.

Among those hoping that Slutskaya will slip up is American Sasha Cohen, last year's world silver medalist behind the Russian, Italian hope Karolina Kostner and a trio of Japanese contenders.

One person who will be conspicuous by her absence will be Michelle Kwan, who had to withdraw after picking up a groin strain during her first practice session in the city.

If Slutskaya's training form is anything to go by, her challengers' best bet of landing an Olympic gold will be in 2010 in Vancouver -- provided the twice world champion has hung up her boots by then.

Ever since the new accumulative-points judging system was introduced two years ago, only one woman has been able to beat Slutskaya. Luckily for the Russian, Japan's 15-year-old sensation Mao Asada is too young to compete in Turin. Asada defeated Slutskaya in December's grand prix final.

Slutskaya showed off her soaring jumps and strong spins when she tested the ice at the Palavela rink for the first time on Sunday.

Less than 24 hours after jetting into Turin from her home in Moscow, the Russian went through the paces of her sultry Rhumba and Flamenco choreography, landing triple-double jump combinations with ease.

Miki Ando, at 18 the youngest of the Japanese contingent, will be hoping to impress the judges with her trademark quadruple Salchow.

She is only woman to have landed the jump in international competition and wants to repeat the feat at the Games.

However, the last time she completed the move during competition was at the Japanese nationals in 2003.

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