Sarah Hughes, the figure skating pride of Great Neck, has added another victory to her long list of accolades --- she was awarded the bronze medal at the world figure skating championship event held in Vancouver, British Columbia on March 24.

The 15-year-old skating star, daughter of John and Amy Hughes, was jubilant. Her performance included a triple-triple combination that drew gasps of wonder from the audience.

''I had to grab the chance to put it over,'' said Ms. Hughes. ''If I stayed safe, I wouldn't even have been noticed.''

Ms. Hughes finished two places ahead of another American contestant, Angela Nikodinov, who performed creditably, but fell on a triple salchow. Ms. Hughes has been described by sports reporters as being consistently excellent.