A year after placing sixth at the Senior Level National Championships, thirteen year old Michelle Kwan representing the Los Angeles trượt băng nghệ thuật Club in Burbank, California skates to a third place finish in the short program. The top two finishers would qualify for a trip to the Winter Olympic Games in Lillhammer, Norway. Michelle finishes second to Tonya Harding and gets the second spot to the Winter Games. However due to the withdrawling of reigning National Champion, Nancy Kerrigan, who was out with an injury, the USFSA and IOC place Kerrigan in place of Michelle for the Olympics. Michelle would be the first alternate on the US Olympic Team!