Yu-Na Kim: Twenty Percent to Perfection
South Korean figure skater Yu-Na Kim set another new world record last week at Trophée Eric Bompard (TEB) with her Long Program to Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F. "I was stunned watching it (the score)," said Kim. "I didn't think about renewing my personal best again here...More
Wow, thank you for a nice article! I am excited to see the rest 20% this season. Good luck, Yu-Na!Originally Posted by gsk8
Great interview.Thanks.
What I don't understand is why doesn't she work on a 3A? Seriously, she's got the best jumps out there ~ height, distance, rotation, speed, et al, perfect ~ so why not even take it one further: the 3A? She could easily do it. All her triples are fabulous, especially her 3/3 combos.!!!!!!
I hope to God she doesn't quit after the Olympics, but rather stays on for another 4 yrs. like Katarina Witt did. This lady is too special to just retire. Stay on & match Michelle Kwan's numerous World Titles & then go one further & match Katarina Witt. Become the Sonja Henie of this era.
She has it all ~ she's the ONE the skating world has been waiting for ~ Nicole Bobek/Sasha Cohen/Oksana Baiul/Michelle Kwan/Irina Slutskaya/Tonya Harding/Midori Ito/all the greats throughout figure skating history combined into O-N-E!!!!!!!
In one of her recent interviews after TEB she suggested that she might compete in 2010 Worlds. At least the Olys might not be the last event to see her in competition.What I don't understand is why doesn't she work on a 3A? Seriously, she's got the best jumps out there ~ height, distance, rotation, speed, et al, perfect ~ so why not even take it one further: the 3A? She could easily do it. All her triples are fabulous, especially her 3/3 combos.!!!!!!
I hope to God she doesn't quit after the Olympics, but rather stays on for another 4 yrs. like Katarina Witt did. This lady is too special to just retire. Stay on & match Michelle Kwan's numerous World Titles & then go one further & match Katarina Witt. Become the Sonja Henie of this era.
She has it all ~ she's the ONE the skating world has been waiting for ~ Nicole Bobek/Sasha Cohen/Oksana Baiul/Michelle Kwan/Irina Slutskaya/Tonya Harding/Midori Ito/all the greats throughout figure skating history combined into O-N-E!!!!!!!
That would honestly be a shame because it's obvious she hasn't maxed out her jumping potential at all. She makes those 3/3 combos. look like child's play & she doesn't even break a sweat. Just think what more she could accomplish, so much more. I hope/pray that she stays in for the long term. Maybe take time off after Olympics & Worlds, rest her body, do tours like Sasha Cohen did, and then come back for 2014.
Well, I think part of it is family issues. I know her father said in an recent interview that it's up to Yu-na but that he hopes she retires so she can have a more normal life and their family can be reunited.... Her father feeling that way I think is a big draw in the whole retirement thing.That would honestly be a shame because it's obvious she hasn't maxed out her jumping potential at all. She makes those 3/3 combos. look like child's play & she doesn't even break a sweat. Just think what more she could accomplish, so much more. I hope/pray that she stays in for the long term. Maybe take time off after Olympics & Worlds, rest her body, do tours like Sasha Cohen did, and then come back for 2014.
However, I wouldn't be surprised if she retires, realizes she misses it and comes back. As for the 3-axel, I remember someone saying a couple of years back while she was a junior that the forward take off on the 3axel scares Yu-na. Also when she started training the 3axel with Orser, in the beginning of her senior year, injury problems started happening. Combine that with her back, and I think that Yu-na is afraid training such a difficult jump could lead to injury.
Maybe if she wins the Olympics, she might decide that she has nothing to lose and then why not learn a harder jump... Because then she'll have a lot less to lose. But at this point, she's not willing to risk everything she worked for, for a jump she doesn't necessarily need. Frankly a quadtoe might be something she could realistically work on too. Her triple toe technique is just so good. However, the issue there becomes what if it throws off her timing and hurts her 3/3s.
Thanks for posting the article. Skaters like Yuna only come around once a decade, if that often.
She is Michelle's favorite of the current generation of skaters and many other leading voices from the skating world as well.
Her story is one of struggle and overcoming great odds to become the first great figure skater from her country. Just as a young Yuna was inspired by Michelle I know there is already a future generation of young skaters watching Yuna and being inspired not only by her beautiful skating but also by the strength of her character, her humility and her generosity.
I wish her continued success and expect to see the additional "20%" in Vancouver. What a moment that will be for Yuna and for figure skating fans all over the world.
Last edited by janetfan; 10-23-2009 at 08:58 PM.
Thabn you Paula and Anna. You rock! (And Yu-na is not bad, either.)
Oooooh, she's talking about the zone.As I'm preparing, I build momentum and confidence until I reach a peak of concentration. It is the moment that I feel my best.
Ah, come Olympics, I hope her nerves won't be too shaken!
and bekalc, your logic is impeccable.
Great interview. Thanks for posting.
Wow, what a story. It is wonderful when athletes and celebrities care about others and make an effort to help.
Thanks for the interview. After reading this, one instantly gets the feeling that she is not invincible like everyone might think. She admits to anxiety and nerves...it will only intensify once the Games approach. Will be interesting to see if she can hold it together or not. Come to think of it I really don't think we've seen Kim perform under real pressure...
Like everything in our lives, learning these jumps comes with benefits and costs. IMHO, in this case, the increased possibility of injury during training for these jumps and resulting shortened career outweighs way far the potential benefit, which I don't think there is any. The difficulty and the quality of her 3Lz-3T is already maximum one can hope to see in ladies' jumps.
Even if she decides to learn the jumps, she will have to sacrifice some of her programs' artistic touch because maintaining the jumping skills requires so much attention and time. Asada this season and Joubert, Plushenko with their quad may be good examples. I would much rather watch an all-around Yu-Na than a 3A Yu-Na with less focus on artistic side.
Last edited by jaws12345; 10-23-2009 at 11:17 PM.
For Kim, that status quo works. From her view: Why fix something that ain't broke?
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