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American Gracie Gold leads after short program at worlds

Ashley Wagner, of the United States, laughs after falling to the ice, after thanking the crowd and taking a bow, during the women's short program in the World Figure Skating Championships, Wednesday, March 31, 2016, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Ashley Wagner, of the United States, laughs after falling to the ice, after thanking the crowd and taking a bow, during the women's short program in the World Figure Skating Championships, Wednesday, March 31, 2016, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

By Associated Press March 31, 2016 1 min read

BOSTON (AP) – Gracie Gold leads after the short program as she seeks to become the first American woman to win a world championship in a decade.

No U.S. woman has even finished on the podium since Kimmie Meissner took gold and Sasha Cohen bronze in 2006. But at a home world championships, the Americans now have a chance at two medals with Ashley Wagner in fourth after Thursday’s short program.

Gold scored 76.43 points, followed by Russian teens Anna Pogorilaya (73.98) and Evgenia Medvedeva (73.76) and Wagner (73.16).