Korean figure skater Choi Da-bin vows to rebound after injury

Figure skater Choi Da-bin practices at Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul Thursday, a day ahead of the second round national qualifying competition for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. / Yonhap

By Baek Byung-yeul

Teen figure skater Choi Da-bin has been struggling this season due to a foot injury. Ahead of Friday’s second-round national qualifying event, however, the 17-year-old said she looks to rebound from her injury.

“At the first Olympic qualifying event, I didn’t perform any difficult elements because I didn’t really feel prepared,” Choi told reporters during a media day at Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul, Thursday. “But I feel like I am getting better and better, and I’ll try to land a triple-triple jump combination like I did last season. Even if I don’t land it cleanly, it will be a good learning experience.”

The 17-year-old won the first national qualifying event for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics in July with a total score of 181.79 points. Choi is scheduled to compete at the second round event starting Friday.

Korea will send two figure skaters to the women’s singles at the Winter Olympics. The skaters will be determined based on the combined performances from three national qualifying events. The third event is scheduled to be held in January.

Choi played a great role for Korea to secure two spots in the Olympics as she finished 10th at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Figure Skating championships in Helsinki in April. Prior to the ISU event, she posted her personal best total score of 187.54 points at the Sapporo Asian Winter Games in February to win her country’s first-ever Asian Games gold medal.

However, Choi has been struggling with her foot injury since then.

Choi said her injury mostly came from her skates as she had trouble adjusting to her new ones. “I’ve been wearing the same model from the same brand my entire career, but it’s out of production now,” Choi said. “I settled for a similar pair, and it’s taken me a long time to get used to them. I am still trying to reach my top form, and I feel like I am getting there.”

Due to the injury, she had disappointing results at the 2017 Cup of China, the third event of the 2017-18 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, finishing ninth with 165.99 points. Choi also withdrew from the sixth ISU Grand Prix in the U.S. in November.

Choi said she was not prepared for the first national qualifying event in July, but she said she feels much better and will focus more on the remaining qualifying events.