t’s been more than a year since she took a break from competitive figure skating. But Kim Yu-na seems not to have lost her form, and looks fresh with new programs for this week’s World Figure Skating Championships.
Kim, who earned the nickname “Figure Queen” after winning a gold medal at the 2010 Olympics, is now in Moscow, working hard to win her second world title.
The 20-year-old is set to unveil a sequence of new moves at the figure skating world championships. The Korean star will take to the ice at Megasport Arena on Friday when she skates the short program to music from the ballet “Giselle” in the first stage of the ladies’ competition. She will present the long program, “Homage to Korea,” the following day.
On Tuesday, Kim revealed for the first time her new long program during an official practice session at Megasport Arena.
Skating to a compilation of traditional Korean music, including “Arirang,” she hit a perfect triple lutz-triple loop combination.
Kim showed more posture and movements when she danced to the traditional Korean music, but her jumps were more powerful and accurate, proving that she is now back in full force.
Her choreographer David Wilson said earlier that there is something “nostalgic and heartfelt feeling” about Kim’s long program.
“Her Korean fans are so loving and supportive, she really wants to pay them back,” Wilson said.
Kim hinted Tuesday that the highlight of the program will be her footwork and spiral near the end.
“You might feel exhilaration watching it,” Kim said.
Kim, after losing the world title in March 2010, changing coaches in the summer, has been opting out of competition until now.
She admitted that she still needs more time for practice.
“I trembled a bit on my first training day here, and was a bit off today as well, but I’m satisfied overall at the moment,” Kim said, adding that she’ll be 100 percent ready this weekend.
The 2011 World Figure Skating Championships kicked off with the men’s preliminary round on Monday in Moscow. It was originally scheduled to take place in Tokyo in March, but was moved to the Russian capital after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Ladies’ figure skating will be the highlight of the event. The short program is set to start at 6:30 p.m. Korean time on Friday, and free skating will begin at 6:30 p.m. the following day.
Meanwhile, Korean rising figure star Kwak Min-jeong failed to advance to the ladies’ short program.
Twenty-six skaters competed Tuesday in the preliminary round and the top 12 advanced to Friday’s short program. Kwak, 17, finished in 15th place with 67.75 points.
The junior national champion, who placed 13th at the Vancouver Olympics, missed a triple flip and also stumbled on a triple lutz. Kwak admitted that she was not able to practice due to a torn muscle in her leg. “I’m still recovering from it, I’m not in my best condition,” she said.
Fellow Korean Kim Min-Seok, though, made it to the men’s short program. Kim finished 12th place among the 24 competing skaters in the preliminary round Monday. The top 12 qualified for the short program Wednesday together with the 18 direct entries.
By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldm.com)
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