In 1996, Tara began the year by winning a bronze medal at the USFSA (United States Figure Skating Assosciation) Champions after Nicole Bobek dropped out due to injury. In the Worlds that year, she loses concentration and falls twice during her short program. But Tara skates her long program near perfection. She ends up 15th in Worlds.
Also that year Tara wins a medal in Skate Canada, a bronze at the Trophee Lalique and a silver at the Nations Cup in Germany. She lands the first ever Triple Loop-Triple Loop in competition at the U.S. Postal Service Challenge in Philadelphia.
In 1997, Tara starts out by winning the USFSA Champions and earning a trip to the worlds. But before Worlds, she wins the the ISU (International Skating Union) Championship in Canada. She's the youngest skater to achieve this and she goes on to Worlds to make another record for her age. She skates two flawless programs and wins the 1997 Worlds at only fourteen years.
In 1998 so far she has won two Silver Medals at Champion Series final events, won the Champion Series Final, won a Silver Medal at Nationals, and won the Olympics!! She has withdrawn from Worlds because she is sick and will be touring with the Tom Collins Tour in the summer.