Kim Takes Bronze at World Figure Skating Championships

GOTEBORG, Sweden -- South Korea's Kim Yu-na won the bronze medal at the World Figure Skating Championships held here Thursday, topping the free skate event but failing to offset her fifth-place performance in the short program a day earlier.

Scoring a total of 183.23 points, the 18-year-old lost the women's title to Japan's Mao Asada, who, despite a big fall moments before a triple axel, finished second in the short program but gained enough points to win the gold medal at 185.56 points.

Italy's Carolina Kostner came second with 184.68 points. "I'm pleased, yet feel it could've been better," Kim said. "It was hard, but I did my best to the last moment."

Kim, who ranked second in the world in women's singles and holds the highest scores for both short and long programs, brought her country its first-ever gold medal at a senior international competition two years ago.

She successfully defended her Grand Prix Final Women's Figure Skating title last year in Turin, Italy. But she missed last month's competition due to a hip injury. (Yonhap)