WORLD SPORTS SCENE : This One Is Not in the Ice Box for Trenary

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. —  Jill Trenary realized it was a mistake to get too comfortable in the U.S. Winter Olympic uniform that she modeled here Thursday for participants in the Olympic Congress of the USA.

When the day was over, she would have to return it to the manufacturers, and there is no guarantee that she will get it back when the United States selects its figure skaters next January for the Games a month later in Albertville, France.

Still, it was difficult for her to imagine that she would not wear the uniform again.

“It suits me, don’t you think?” she asked.

In 1988, after she had finished behind three skaters--Katarina Witt, Elizabeth Manley and Debi Thomas--who were on the verge of retirement at the Winter Games in Calgary, Canada, it appeared that Trenary and the 1992 Winter Olympics would be a perfect fit.

The same could have been said of Christopher Bowman, the heir apparent in men’s figure skating in the United States to 1988 gold medalist Brian Boitano. But after winning the national championship in 1989, Bowman, of Van Nuys, has more or less self-destructed, although his most recent setback was not his fault. He was mugged in downtown Toronto, the resulting injuries causing him to withdraw from this month’s Trophee Lalique in Albertville.

Trenary’s misfortunes, however, can all be traced to circumstances beyond her control.

Even when she won the world championship in 1990, there were those who thought the sport was about to leave her behind before her 21st birthday. She beat Japan’s Midori Ito in neither freestyle skating event, winning the championship because of her edge in compulsory figures, which were destined to be eliminated from international competition.

A short time later, her coaches for seven years at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Carlo and Christa Fassi, went home to their native Italy, which Trenary, after a short stay, did not find to her liking. She has had two coaches since, settling earlier this year with former Olympic champion Carol Heiss Jenkins in Cleveland.

Meantime, she twice had ankle surgery last winter, forcing her out of both the 1991 national meet and World Championships. Her ankle has recovered, but she said Thursday that she has not gotten over the queasiness in her stomach that she felt when she turned on her television in time to see the medal ceremonies from the World Championships last March in Munich.

First was Kristi Yamaguchi, second was Tonya Harding, third was Nancy Kerrigan. All are Americans, who, along with Trenary and others, will be competing at the 1992 national championships in Orlando, Fla., in January for three berths on the U.S. Olympic team. The field figured to be even more decorated before Holly Cook, a bronze medalist at the 1990 world championships, retired last week.

“Everyone says it’s going to be the event of the year, the event of the decade,” Trenary said. “If you win, my God, what an honor.”

And if you fail to finish among the first three?

“I really try to keep a positive attitude,” she said, dodging the question.

That has not been easy, considering that she finished fourth last weekend at Skate Canada, her first competition since returning from the injury. She was second after the original program, but fell once and completed only two of the five triple jumps she had planned for her freestyle program.

“It was a terrible performance,” she said. “Really, I’m a bit embarrassed about it. I’m not going to cry. I cried then, but I got it out of my system.”

Like most skaters, Trenary prefers to focus on her own performance, but that is virtually impossible for her because she is constantly asked to compare her style to that of the other top competitors. Trenary is easily their superior in grace and artistry, but they jump better and more often. Judges these days seem partial to athleticism.

Trenary knows that, but does not enjoy being reminded of it by reporters.

“Sometimes I think you guys are kinda harsh,” she said. “Maybe I’m stupid, but I feel like I can do it. I feel like I have a lot to give.

“I’m trying to add some more technical difficulty to my program, but if it doesn’t work, I can still be the old Jill. It worked before, and I think it can work again. We’ll just have to wait and see.”