Kim Yu-na hangs up skates

Figure skater Kim Yu-na, 23, smiles after falling on her behind during her retirement show at Olympic Park in Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap

By Jung Min-ho

Few remember Kim Yu-na's major slip-ups on the ice. Her 18-year figure skating career, it turned out, was that close to perfect.

At Olympic Park in Seoul, Monday, the 2010 Olympic champion and the most decorated figure skater ever to emerge from Korea finally called time on her career.

"I'm officially ending my career as an athlete here. I have been really happy," Kim said as she tried to hold back tears.

Kim, who won a gold medal at the Vancouver Games with a world record of 228.56 points, skated to "Time to Say Goodbye" on Monday as part of her retirement gala from Sunday to Tuesday. She said the song symbolizes what the show is about.

"I want to take a good rest after this event. Getting ready for this show has kept me busy," she said. "I have received more love and support than I deserve."

Her performance to "Send in the Clowns" was a repetition of her short program in Sochi, where she won a silver medal, falling short of Russian Adelina Sotnikova after what many Koreans said was a result of scandalous judging.

Born in 1990 in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, she started figure skating at the age of 5. She had a big dream of winning an Olympic gold medal.

Winning the 2009 world championship was a monumental moment both for her and Korea. And when she was crowned in Vancouver, a dream she has nurtured since she was five finally came true.

Then she left competitive skating. She was confused. Kim, who was still 19 at that time, realized that achieving a dream could also mean losing it.

With rumors swirling around that she would retire before the Sochi Games, she was criticized for "not trying hard." She learned the flip side of fame. The media at some point were not as friendly as she thought. She was hurt but decided to return for the 2012-13 season and won her second world championship title in London, Ontario.

A foot injury sidelined her for the Grand Prix ahead of the Sochi Olympics but she made a glorious return to the Games and won the silver medal.

"In hindsight, it was not the medal or performance that raised me up when things were difficult. It was you. Thank you very much for encouraging me," Kim said.

With two Olympic medals and two world titles, Kim is one of the most successful athletes in the history of ladies figure skating.

Kim will always be remembered alongside Japan's Ito Midori, the first woman to land a triple axel in international competition, as an Asian pioneer in the sport.

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