Yu-na Ranks Fifth in Short Program
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Prior to the World Figure Skating Championships, fans were anticipating an exciting showdown between Kim Yu-na and Mao Asada of Japan.
But in the women's short program, held in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Wednesday, Asada lived up to the hype, scoring 64.10 points, the second-best total of the night, while Kim sank to fifth with 59.85 after falling on the ice during her routine.
``Right after landing a triple toe loop, I felt a pain on my hip,'' said Kim, a 17-year-old who has been suffering from a hip injury since January.
``As a concern over the next element hit me momentarily, I mistimed a triple lutz.''
It was Italy's Carolina Kostner, who stole the spotlight on the night. The two-time defending European champion eclipsed her season-best score and led the competition by racking up 64.28 points, despite stepping out on her triple lutz.
The 21-year-old Kostner won a bronze medal at the World Grand Prix Final in December behind Kim and Asada.
Another Korean competitor, Kim Na-young, garnered 47.96 points to advance to the free skating program, which allows the top 24 skaters from the short competition to perform.
Kim Yu-na opened up a triple flip-triple toe loop combination completely, while performing to ``Die Fledermaus'' by Johann Strauss II, but she made a mistake on the triple lutz by sliding into the ice.
After the blunder, however, the two-time defending World Grand Prix champion managed the remaining elements of her routine, including a spiral, a double axel and a combination step to finish.
``I did not expect levels of spin and step to be that low. I think I missed something in the performance,'' she said.
Asada, who earned a silver medal at last year's World Championships, hit a splendid triple flip-triple loop combination along with a triple lutz and double axel, but her low-level spin and step caused her to finish the night in second.
Reigning champion Miki Ando of Japan continued to struggle coming in eighth with 59.21 points.