At the moment the music was to start for the Long Program, I was so conscious of the pressure YuNa was under. The entire country of Korea must have been watching her and expecting gold and no less. The only time I've seen similar pressure is at the beginning of Cathy Freeman's 400-meter final at the Sydney summer games. I can't imagine anyone wanting to continue such a stressful existence. So if YuNa retires from competitive skating, I'll certainly understand. As for leaving a legacy, that's already assured. She's virtually built Korean skating, and she hasn't just won, she's won decisively, with jumps of a quality that no one else seems able to match.
She's not like Michelle or Katarina Witt, the skaters with long careers whose names are evoked most often in terms of a legacy. Both of those ladies skated for substantial skating powers and were not bearing the hopes of a country on their shoulders. Just consider--both times that Michelle tried for Olympic gold, it was won by another American. As for Witt, she skated for East Germany at a time when the Eastern bloc and indeed most of Europe tended to vote as one. Not that she didn't deserve her golds, but she must have had the extra confidence of being supported by her federation.
I think that no one really understands the intensity of stress on YuNa. I'd love to see her skate for a long time to come, but if she doesn't, I can't fault her. Maybe there's a way for her to skate in shows and break new artistic boundaries. Can you imagine the audiences in the U.S. and her second home, Canada, if she headlines in SOI? And there are a lot of shows in Asia. Maybe that's the ideal path for her. Whatever she chooses, she has earned a place in skating history.
She's not like Michelle or Katarina Witt, the skaters with long careers whose names are evoked most often in terms of a legacy. Both of those ladies skated for substantial skating powers and were not bearing the hopes of a country on their shoulders. Just consider--both times that Michelle tried for Olympic gold, it was won by another American. As for Witt, she skated for East Germany at a time when the Eastern bloc and indeed most of Europe tended to vote as one. Not that she didn't deserve her golds, but she must have had the extra confidence of being supported by her federation.
I think that no one really understands the intensity of stress on YuNa. I'd love to see her skate for a long time to come, but if she doesn't, I can't fault her. Maybe there's a way for her to skate in shows and break new artistic boundaries. Can you imagine the audiences in the U.S. and her second home, Canada, if she headlines in SOI? And there are a lot of shows in Asia. Maybe that's the ideal path for her. Whatever she chooses, she has earned a place in skating history.
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