MEN'S SHORT PROGRAM: NEAR-PERFECT YAGUDIN LEADS PLUSHENKO A LONG SHOT AFTER SHORT PROGRAM; GOEBEL THIRD.

Byline: Paul Oberjuerge Staff Writer

SALT LAKE CITY - Alexei Yagudin is not worried about Evgeni Plushenko, and the way he skated Tuesday night, he really doesn't have to concern himself about anyone in the world.

The three-time world champion was nearly flawless during the men's figure skating short program at the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Games, easily placing first and establishing himself as the prohibitive favorite to win gold after the free skate Thursday night.

Yagudin was technically brilliant and artistically inspired; his potentially corny decision to throw ice shavings in the air before, during and after his program - to highlight his ``winter'' theme - seemed to work with the noisy crowd of 16,234 and the judges.

``I'm really happy with the work I did today,'' said Yagudin, who was rewarded with five 5.9 scores by the judges. ``After I landed my first combination, everything was perfect.

``I have a comfortable lead after the short, but still I want to be proud of myself and skate good in another couple of days.''

Yagudin's position is a strong one; he appears to be operating at a different level than Takeshi Honda and Timothy Goebel, who placed second and third Tuesday; and his Russian teammate and arch-rival, Plushenko, who is down in fourth place after crash-landing his quadruple jump to open his program.

``I don't care about Plushenko,'' Yagudin said. ``Only myself.''

Plushenko declined comment after skating. Even with the fall, he received three near-perfect 5.9 scores for presentation. But his fourth-place standing means he can win the free skate and still not take the gold from Yagudin.

Honda was the night's biggest surprise. The erratic Japanese skater landed one of the seven quad jumps recognized by officials and barreled through his program with style.

Goebel, runner-up at the U.S. championships last month in Los Angeles, made history by landing the first quad-salchow in Olympic history, but the jumpmaster from Illinois who now trains in El Segundo appeared stiff and mechanical at times, and he received four modest 5.5 scores for presentation.

Still, he was pleased; any of the top three in the short program can take gold by winning the free skate.

``I was not expecting to be in this position, so it's just such a thrill to have skated so well and placed so well,'' said Goebel, who wept tears of joy after leaving the ice. ``I'm not even thinking now about medals or anything. I just want to come and skate my long as well as I've been skating in practice.''

Goebel's coach, Frank Carroll, suggested Goebel's marks for presentation could have been higher, ``but I'm delighted with him being among the top three and the short program in the Olympic Games. I think asking more would be greedy.''

It was a much tougher night for Goebel's teammates. U.S. champion Todd Eldredge fell at the end of a triple axel and stands ninth, and Michael Weiss was awkward throughout and is eighth.

Eldredge, 30, came out of retirement in pursuit of an Olympic medal, but his hopes came crashing to the ice with his triple axel, ``usually one of my best jumps,'' he sighed.

Eldredge opened his program by trying a quadruple toe loop, which he thought he landed, if awkwardly. The judges, however, did not give him credit for it, and things got worse when he stumbled awkwardly at the end of a double-toe, the second half of the opening combination.

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Todd Eldredge holds his head after his performance Tuesday in the men's short program. Eldredge fell and is in ninth place.

Roberto Borea/Associated Press