WASHINGTON, D.C. -- It showed in Michelle Kwan's face.

	Elena Sokolova is in the best position to dethrone Michelle Kwan.

Instead of her usual smile, Kwan's competitive drive appeared during her short program at the World Championships on Friday.

"I think the determination that I felt tonight showed on my face, I guess," said Kwan, who finished first in the short program and leads the competition heading into Saturday's free skate.

If Kwan wins she'll be the third American to win five World titles. But it will mean more than that. It will mean she's completely put that bronze medal at the Olympics in the past. Plus a silver at last year's Worlds.

Although thrilled with her first-place performance at Nationals, it's obviously not enough.

"It's important that I go out there and do my best," Kwan said. "And knowing that I've done it millions of times ... it's important that I go out there believing in myself."

Behind her is a woman who also rediscovered her motivation. Elena Sokolava didn't even compete at Worlds for the past five years. Now, she's in second place going into the free skate.

Sokolova suffered a concussion this past summer and considered quitting, but decided to stick with it.

"You know, actually, I skate not just for myself, I skate for all of country, for coach, parents, everybody who works with you and helps you," Sokolova said. "And I have -- I can't. I actually can't do something bad. I just need to try for myself. ... and this summer I understand it's not only my job, it's my life."

Whatever it took, Sokolova found a comfort level that allowed her to joke with the press and tease Kwan about skating immediately after the popular American.

"Honestly, I think that they are clapping for me," Sokolva said laughing and throwing a "sorry" to Kwan sitting next to her. "That's a joke.

"I didn't even hear what was going on in the arena. I knew that my coach and choreographer are supporting me and I wasn't afraid of anything."

Certainly not. She was the only woman in the last group to land a triple-triple, pleasing the crowd, who moments earlier gave Kwan a standing ovation.

American Sasha Cohen also thrilled the crowd, but then she fell on her second triple attempt, elicting groans and earning her a spot in fifth place.

But at least she's not Sarah Hughes, who wasn't even in the final warm-up group.

"It was actually odd for me in the last two days not skating in the last warm-up group," Hughes said. "I'm so used to seeing a certain set of people, but you know this year a lot of things have changed. But unfortunately in qualifying I changed some of those faces myself."

Hughes has had such a rough year that another skater in her group, Elena Liashenko, completely dismissed her as a threat.

"Sarah is Olympic champion, but not in good form right now," Liashenko said. "It's better to beat competitors in top shape. That is what I'm striving for."

Liashenko finished the program in seventh place, just above Hughes.

Meanwhile, Kwan is ready to put the bad times -- by her standards anyway -- behind her.

"Last year, was a long year," she said. "I feel that I'm in a different part of my life where I get to have great choices, great opportunities."

Cynthia Faulkner is the Olympics editor at ESPN.com.