Browning finds his old magic

HAMAR - Kurt Browning once spun at the top of the figure skating world, a world he looked as if he might own for a long time.

The four-time world champion was the pioneer of an airborne revolution, pushing the sport to unbelievable levels, changing the way it would be judged and viewed.

But revolutions have a way of coming back at you. They move on. Times change. The world turns. People fall down.

And, sometimes, they fall off.

After a terrible practice, the Canadian crash-landed his triple flip in the men's Olympic short program, throwing open the competition.

Browning looked to be out of gas, out of heart and, sadly for him, out of contention. He wound up placing 12th, an impossible situation going into the free-skating program, which accounts for two-thirds of the scoring.

Saturday, steeled by determination, fortified by the good wishes of his fans, he recovered the magic which appeared to have been misplaced.

Wonder of wonders, he skated his free program with grace and some of the old fancy footwork fans had admired for years.

His jumps weren't as technically difficult as those of Elvis Stojko. But he stood up, stood out, got the heavy load off his back, and wound up fifth.

"The fact I was 12th, instead of eighth or sixth (after the short program), made it a little easier," Browning said.

"I had no shot at a medal. It was easier to flip it over into 'Do it for yourself.'"

Two years ago at Albertivlle, Browning had gone into the Winter Games looking like a sure thing to win Canada's first-ever Olympic men's figure-skating gold medal. There, the expectations ate him up. He would up placing sixth.

It happened again this time. Browning has gone to the well so often for clutch performances and kept coming up with them. Now the well may be dry. He seems to be trying to operate from memory.

After Saturday's performance, Browning stood for an unusually long time on the ice, drinking in the applause, pointing and smiling to friends, savoring the moment, saying goodbye.

"I've improved every Olympics," he chuckled. "Eighth (Calgary, 1988), sixth (Albertville), and now fifth. Gee, in the year 2008 I should win this thing."

Of course, there is no way he will go on. Browning is 27m and there's no percentage in remaining amateur.

Failing to garnish his four world titles with an Olympic medal will cost him seomthing image-wise and financially.

He probably will be forced to go to the world championships in Japan next month if only to re-establish marketing appeal for the professional circuit.

Figure skating has a pretty callous side. Browning said he was stung by some of the headlines back home which mentioned the C-word.

During the previous two days, Browning said he would alternatively burst into tears or laughter. He was a bundle of conflicting emotions.

For years, Kurt Browning looked to be bulletproof. Now he looks to be vulnerable as hell.