Kim Yu-na does it again
Reigning Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na smiles after winning a gold medal at the World Figure Skating Championships in London, Ontario, Saturday. The 22-year-old’s overwhelming performancebodes well for her retaining her title at the Sochi Winter Games next year. / Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
Kim Yu-na emphatically reclaimed her throne in women’s figure skating, winning the title Saturday in her first appearance at the World Figure Skating Championship in two years.
Her overall 218.31 points at the event in London, Ontario, represented a season best and was more than 20 points ahead of Italy’s Carolina Kostner, who finished with 197.89. Japan’s Asada Mao, Kim’s longtime rival, finished third with 196.47 points.
“It has been a very long time,” said the 22-year-old reigning Olympic champion after the results were announced. “I am very happy that I skated well here in Canada again.”
Kim’s dominance in the free-skating program was obvious as the fascinated audience was giving her a standing ovation long before she finished her final spin, repeatedly cheering.
Skating to a compilation of songs from the musical “Les Miserable,” Kim opened with a near-perfect triple lutz-triple toe loop combination and nailed her triple flip for the second jump. Her spins were tight, and her vivid presentation seemed almost like the music was coming from her movements.
Kim’s performance in Friday’s short program, where she finished with 69.97 points, was seen as a solid effort short of greatness. In delivering a 148.34-point performance in the free program, Kim made it clear to the world that the ``Queen’’ was indeed back.
Kim’s overwhelming victory banished doubts over her ability after she sat out the 2011-12 season to contemplate her future. Furthermore, the title suggests Kim is simply operating at a different level than her rivals.
“I was anticipating a good score after putting out everything I could, but I really didn’t expect the score to be this high,” Kim said. “I felt much more comfortable with the jumps. With a sense of security about my techniques, I was able to minimize mistakes.”
Kim said she was “very nervous” during a six-minute preparation period ahead of her free skate, but she was able to pull herself together waiting for her turn, as sixth in the final group. She said letting go of her desire to win helped her to perform “comfortably.”
“When I was preparing for the event, I felt much less pressured than when I was practicing for the last Olympics,” Kim said. “Training was still difficult, but I was able to manage it because of that.”
Kim has repeatedly said she will retire after next year’s Winter Olympics. Barring an injury or career-altering slump, she is as safe a bet to win gold as any athlete arriving in Sochi.
Whether or not she defends her Olympic title next year, Kim said her last World Championships has been an event to remember.
“I have long participated in the world championships, since 2007. I am very happy at winning both the short program and free skating,” she said.
Asked if she had cried after her performance, Kim shook her head.
“Maybe it seemed that way, but I didn’t cry. I was surprised by the fact that I finished it flawlessly. In fact, I felt relieved,” Kim said.
If Kim wins the forthcoming Olympics, she will become the third female skater to defend an Olympic gold medal, and the first since German legend Katrina Witt, who won her second gold at the 1988 Games in Calgary.
“I hope the result will be successful. However, I do not want to pressure myself too much by focusing on the outcome,” Kim said.
Kim didn’t seem too eager to talk about the Olympics now, although that would be inevitable.
“It will be hard to guess who will win in Sochi, because not only me but also the other competitors will practice hard for the event. It will be determined by each participant’s condition and mood that day,” Kim said.
Nevertheless, in the past five Winter Olympics, the winners of the world championship of the previous year ended up with the Olympic gold. Kim also won her first Olympic gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games after she claimed her first world championship in 2009
With her gold medal, three Korean female skaters will be allowed to compete for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, including Kim.
Kim said she wants to experience the Olympics, which she said is “the biggest” and an “unforgettable competition” for all athletes, with two other Korean skaters.
For the Vancouver Games, Korea sent two female skaters, Kim and Kwak Min-jung. Sochi will be the first Olympics for which the country will send three.