It was another big letdown for Cohen, whose career is marked by faltering in the major internationals. In Turin, she felt she was given a gift when she won silver despite a mediocre free skate.

Cohen also slipped from third to fourth in the 2002 Olympics, has two runner-up finishes at worlds, and has never beaten Michelle Kwan at nationals.

“I struggled through it,” she said. “The quality wasn’t there. I didn’t really feel on. I’m a little tired.”

Last year, Meissner became the first U.S. woman to land a triple axel since Tonya Harding in 1991. Now she knows how Lipinski felt in winning the 1997 worlds and ’98 Olympics, and what Hughes experienced in the Salt Lake City Games. Unlike those teens, Meissner plans to stick around for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver; her debut in Canada and at senior worlds was an overwhelming success.

“It’s always nice after a program to feel this is the best I can do,” she said. “There was nothing I can do better.”

Her gold and Cohen’s bronze gave the United States the most medals at the event. Evan Lysacek won a men’s bronze, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto got bronze in ice dancing.

Suguri, fourth at the Olympics, became the first Japanese skater with three world medals. She previously won bronze in 2002 and 2003.

“In Torino I skated very well, but I didn’t get any medals,” Suguri said. “Here, I was tired, I was wondering if I should come here. But this was my destiny and I have a silver medal now.”

Russia’s Elena Sokolova finished fourth and might have medaled had she done better than sixth in qualifying. Canada’s Joannie Rochette had a poor free skate and sank to seventh.

Emily Hughes scored a personal-best 104.84 in her free skate, securing a top 10 in her first senior worlds. It was a nice way to finish off the year in which she was third at nationals, seventh in Turin and then eighth here.

“Going into nationals this year after being sixth the year before and moving up three spots, that was amazing,” said the younger sister of 2002 Olympic champion Sarah Hughes. “The whole Olympic experience and the world championships experience made it an amazing year.”

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