updated 12:11 p.m. ET Feb. 27, 2006

TURIN, Italy - When your big sis is an Olympic champion, it makes sense to pick her brain.

Emily Hughes was smart enough to ask sister Sarah what to expect in Tuesday night’s Olympic short program. Then the 17-year-old skater used the advice to finish seventh, a strong showing for the last-minute replacement for Michelle Kwan.

“She said to have fun and enjoy it,” Hughes said. “She just said to have fun with everything and I feel like I went out and had fun. It’s great she’s been here with my whole family and been so supportive.

“Now that I’m on the ice and she’s up in the stands, I know how she feels. Maybe she knows how I feel, too.”

The Hughes clan sat in the upper deck and when Emily was introduced, they unfurled a huge banner saying “HUGHES GOTTA BELIEVE.”

While Hughes isn’t quite on the skating level of her sister, she did beat such established competitors as Italy’s world bronze medalist Carolina Kostner and Japan’s heralded Miki Ando in the short program. She helped the United States to a very solid showing: Sasha Cohen leads heading into Thursday’s free skate, and Kimmie Meissner is fifth.

Hughes, invigorated by the crowd, attacked her program and eclipsed her personal high with 57.08 points. She did so at first with a steely resolve that helped her land a triple flip, a triple lutz-double toe loop combination and a double axel.

After hitting her axel, it was all smiles as Hughes did her other elements, including a vastly improved spiral series, and spins that displayed her flexibility.

“I went out for my warmup and they were cheering my name. That’s the first time that’s ever happened,” she said. “After the double axel, it was a great feeling to know I landed all the jumps and I could just focus on the spins and footwork. The program went really well.”

Especially for someone who didn’t know she was coming to Turin until Feb. 12, when Kwan withdrew with a groin injury.

Hughes, the first alternate after a third-place finish at last month’s national championships, practiced at home for three days — not letting a blizzard get in her way — then got a rousing sendoff from her Great Neck (N.Y.) North High School mates.

Slide show   Short and sweet A look at the fine performances from the U.S. women figure skaters in the short program.

She arrived in Italy last Thursday and hit the Olympic ice for the first time the next day.

“I just found out I was coming a week ago,” she said. “I’m really happy just going out and doing a good short program. I made a tremendous step. Just making the Olympics is a huge step from last year.”

Hughes certainly celebrated in style. She pumped her arms, then spread them wide to soak in all the applause from every corner of the building. She seemed intent not to look directly up at the section where her family sat, but soon gave in and waved in that direction.

Slide show   Pictures of the Day Check out Sunday's best Olympic images.

Asked if another Olympic medal could make its way into the family collection, she grinned.

“You never know,” she said, recalling a certain sister’s comeback from fourth place at Salt Lake City. “This is the Olympics, and unexpected things can happen.”

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