Four Continents champ Denis Ten hopes to inspire people with figure skating
Denis Ten with his medal won Saturday from the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships held in Mokdong Ice Rink, Seoul / Yonhap
Denis Ten, freshly crowned the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships winner in the men's singles here, is the first one to admit he used to skate only for himself.
Yet, as he started to make a name for himself, winning historic Olympic and world championship medals along the way, the Kazakhstani skater has changed his outlook on his career. Today, he says he has "different reasons to skate."
"Two years ago, I didn't have any title or achievement, and I would try my best (to win)," he said at the press conference Saturday after claiming the men's singles title in a landslide. Ten scored 191.85 points in free skating to finish with 289.46 points, nearly 30 points better than the next skater. It was the third-highest score ever at an International Skating Union (ISU) event.
"Since I have (achievements) now, I have a different approach to training and different reasons to skate," Ten added. "I skate for people who support me. I look at the fans and skaters in Kazakhstan and I want to bring inspiration to them."
Ten, a descendant of a Korean-born independence fighter, built a comfortable lead after Thursday's short program and cruised to the victory on Saturday. He insisted, though, he hardly worried about scoring. Rather, he was more concerned about "working and progressing for the sake of others."
Ten said he had his epiphany when he joined South Korean figure skating icon Kim Yu-na for her final ice show in Seoul last May, performing before sellout crowds.
"It was the most impressive show to perform," Ten recalled. "I saw big crowds and how Kim Yu-na changed them tremendously. That blew my mind. I thought, 'This is what figure skating is for.'"
In 2013, Ten finished second at the world championships to become the first skater from Kazakhstan to reach the world championships' podium. The following year -- on Feb. 14 to be exact -- Ten won the bronze at the Sochi Winter Games, becoming the first Olympic figure skating medalist from his country.
At 21, he seems primed for more success in years to come. Ten said although he likely won't be as accomplished as Kim in the sport -- she retired with an Olympic gold, two world championships and a slew of other international titles -- he hopes to develop into a similarly inspiring figure in his country.
As an ethnic Korean, Ten said it was "an honor" to do well in Seoul.
"I wanted to perform well and bring to the audience what they were looking for," he added. "(South Korea) is not a foreign place for me. It's basically my second home country. I'd like to dedicate this victory to the people of Korea and Kazakhstan." (Yonhap)