Yuna Kim announces return to competition--retirement after Sochi

[Nadia01]

As someone who speaks Korean fluently, I don’t think I was exaggerating her dislike of competition at all as I have already mentioned my reasons above as clearly as I can.

I speak and read Korean fluently too, and I never got the sense that Yuna HATES competition; she just disliked the pressure and the astounding media presence / attention that she got for every little thing she did on and off the ice. Such as...

"Yuna went off the ice and frowned. What does that mean? Is she nervous? Did something happen?"

"Yuna did only one run-thru during official practice. OMG OMG, why?"

(And other millions of silly media "coverage" that you see on some portal sites in Korea)

Nobody's expected to love every aspect of something. But that doesn't mean that person intensely dislikes that something. I can still love something w/o not loving everything about it. I don't love everything about my job, but I still love my job overall. I don't love everything about motherhood, but I still love being a mom, and I adore my baby boy.

So Yuna can dislike the pressure & media attention, but she can still enjoy competition and competitive skating. She's said in her memoir and elsewhere that she loves performing before a big crowd, and skating well so that she can move the audience. She also indicated that she is a very competitive person.

[l'etoile]

Naysayers have usually their way of looking like a naysayer, don't they?

[jatale]

I believe Yuna is doing this for all the right reasons. In her news conference, she said that she had found new motivation in training with young Korean skaters and seeing their dedication and love of the sport. I think that helped revive in her the love of skating that she had when she was beginning her career. Secondly, in her news conference she said that didn't want to carry any regret about what "could have been" with her later in life when she would be helpless to change anything. By returning to competition now and giving it her best shot, she can face her future with peace in her heart. All of this makes a LOT OF SENSE. Yuna, now an adult, knows what she is doing and why she is doing it. As she also indicated in her news conference, she can now "skate only for herself" and I expect that freedom just might enable her to reach new heights in figure skating. She is a hero in my book for her courage and desire to harness her incredible gift on one last competitive journey. Good luck to her!

[Skater Boy]

I am happy if she is happy BUT I don't think we should treat her as a hero. So a rich girl decides to go for her second olympic gold medal. She isn't solving world peace or cancer.

[l'etoile]

^^ Absolutely. But I don't see treating her as much as a "hero" anywhere. Just compliments on her brave decision or so. But I'm sure that Yuna is and will be the role model for lots of little girls with her next quest for the olympics.

[guanchi]

I am happy if she is happy BUT I don't think we should treat her as a hero. So a rich girl decides to go for her second olympic gold medal. She isn't solving world peace or cancer.

No one said anything about everyone having to treat her as a "hero", it's just that person's opinion, prolly just happy to see her back on the ice. Besides, Michelle seemed pretty set after all her victories and accomplishments and she still tried for Torino- rich has nothing to do with it. And about that cancer and world peace crap, plz, not even the best scientists and respected world leaders have made any dent in those 2 areas, so don't even go there, lol.

[cosmos]

I am happy if she is happy BUT I don't think we should treat her as a hero. So a rich girl decides to go for her second olympic gold medal. She isn't solving world peace or cancer.

She is a HERO for her fans!

She wasn't rich from the beginning. She became rich only with a pair of skates. It is great, isn't it?

[Serious Business]

I am happy if she is happy BUT I don't think we should treat her as a hero. So a rich girl decides to go for her second olympic gold medal. She isn't solving world peace or cancer.

There are many kinds of heroism. It's just not cancer researchers and diplomats who are heroes (nor are they always heroic). Yuna's heroism lies in the fact that she is putting herself out there as a highly visible athlete, where she'll push her body and soul to the limit on a world stage. All top level skaters do this, of course, though none is under as much scrutiny as Yuna (save Mao Asada). The difference being, Yuna doesn't have to. She already has all the money, accolades, medals she ever needs to cement herself as a skating legend. She has achieved all there is to achieve in the sport. She is doing something very difficult that she doesn't have to, something that will bring joy to millions as well as inspire them. And that's what makes her a hero.

There is inherent value in creating something beautiful and inspiring. Human society needs those things to function well. Researchers need those things to unwind so they can get back to work. Diplomats need those things to establish common ground. Sports and arts aren't frivolous, and figure skating is both.

[skateluvr]

Two gold medals makes her a legend, and not too many people can say that. Shizuka has one, no big deal, people forget and she is recent. Tara has one, Sarah has one, we never see them skate. MK has none and she is famous for skating so well for 10 years. Yuna was favored over Mao and pulled big numbers with huge 3x3's and her skating while flawed is very good. Her jumps were roatated and big, and she skated clean, no falls, so she won. She skated with so much pressure. It shows she is one very cool cookie. There are skaters who went through more. Heros? I think what she does with her charities will be long remembered, her humanitarianism will be impt long after the faux gold medal is tarnished.

There are few true Legends in FS. Those who stay in and prove themselves year after year are rare. Legends is a better word than hero. Figureskating is not in and of itself heroic-anymore than any other sport. It is a sport one does for ones self. Most sports stars are pleasing themselves. Everyday people you never know are heroic in fighting every day.

Yuna is a cool character and she has a bit of a tough time in Korea. They really will pester her a lot. I am still surprised she is doing this. She has something to lose here, esp. in Korea. If she really wants to compete again, then good, we'll see better skating than those shows. I'm all for Yuna the killer to come back. I just don't wanna see lukewarm Yuna al la post Oly worlds=2xs. I hope Mao sees this as challenging as I am rooting for Mao and the American girls, and akiko and Caro, and maybe Liza. Joannie is the comeback that will be like Chen Lu=she deserves a second chance-talk about a tough competitor-and stunning skater.

I would rather see a new champion but may the best girl win, and not by some 30 points. I just want fair judging, as always.

[Krislite]

Two gold medals makes her a legend, and not too many people can say that. Shizuka has one, no big deal, people forget and she is recent. Tara has one, Sarah has one, we never see them skate. MK has none and she is famous for skating so well for 10 years. Yuna was favored over Mao and pulled big numbers with huge 3x3's and her skating while flawed is very good. Her jumps were roatated and big, and she skated clean, no falls, so she won. She skated with so much pressure. It shows she is one very cool cookie. There are skaters who went through more. Heros? I think what she does with her charities will be long remembered, her humanitarianism will be impt long after the faux gold medal is tarnished.

I do believe those gold medals contain real gold, and from what I know they are kept in pristine condition in museums in Korea, so don't worry about them being tarnished. (Yes, I know you mean something else, but I'll interpret it in the most charitable way and ignore your biases for a moment.)

There are few true Legends in FS. Those who stay in and prove themselves year after year are rare. Legends is a better word than hero. Figureskating is not in and of itself heroic-anymore than any other sport. It is a sport one does for ones self. Most sports stars are pleasing themselves. Everyday people you never know are heroic in fighting every day.

Heroism is not pure selflessness. Just because sports is done for oneself does not disqualify it as heroic. But I'll stop there and won't argue over the philosophical meaning of heroism, but you should be aware there is a lot more to heroism, and its definition and traits are complex.

Yuna is a cool character and she has a bit of a tough time in Korea. They really will pester her a lot. I am still surprised she is doing this. She has something to lose here, esp. in Korea. If she really wants to compete again, then good, we'll see better skating than those shows. I'm all for Yuna the killer to come back. I just don't wanna see lukewarm Yuna al la post Oly worlds=2xs. I hope Mao sees this as challenging as I am rooting for Mao and the American girls, and akiko and Caro, and maybe Liza. Joannie is the comeback that will be like Chen Lu=she deserves a second chance-talk about a tough competitor-and stunning skater.

I would rather see a new champion but may the best girl win, and not by some 30 points. I just want fair judging, as always.

You'd best avoid figure skating then. You'll never be satisfied if that's all you want out of it.

[skateluvr]

i know they are not solid gold etc. maybe mixed metal. and i did mean tarnish which will happen...i sold jewlry in past life. will still hope the best wins w/out inflationary marks in all skating comps.

[hurrah]

I'm really surprised by Yuna's decision to return to skating. While I think it is possible that she will be able to regain some of her old form back in time for the Olympics, it's also as likely or even more likely that she will not, and I do think that it's quite a risk for her to try and make a come back at this point. I also do think that there had to have been some rashness involved in making the decision. I mean, she couldn't even say who her coach was going to be. I wonder if she herself was shocked by how much skill she had lost when she did the ATS Show, and that might have been the incentive, rather than anything else. Yuna is a very competitive person.

Being a Mao fan, I am happy that Yuna is coming back. Nothing beats having an arch rival!

I also want fair judging. And I don't think that's too much to ask. In fact, in an ideal world, fair judging should be a given, not a luxury.

[Mathman]

Ok, I looked it up.

The last time that Olympic gold medals were solid gold was 1912. Now they are made of silver with gold plating. The plating must be at least 6 grams. If the plating is done right, they shouldn't tarnish.

Silver medals are required to be at least 92.5% pure silver. Silver does tarnish, so I suppose if you win a silver medal you have to keep it polished.

I think bronze tarnishes because of the copper content.

[Krislite]

I'm really surprised by Yuna's decision to return to skating. While I think it is possible that she will be able to regain some of her old form back in time for the Olympics, it's also as likely or even more likely that she will not, and I do think that it's quite a risk for her to try and make a come back at this point. I also do think that there had to have been some rashness involved in making the decision. I mean, she couldn't even say who her coach was going to be. I wonder if she herself was shocked by how much skill she had lost when she did the ATS Show, and that might have been the incentive, rather than anything else. Yuna is a very competitive person.

Being a Mao fan, I am happy that Yuna is coming back. Nothing beats having an arch rival!

Considering she took over a year to decide, her decision was hardly "rash". Now the details are lacking, but that's a matter of planning and execution. The basic decision of compete vs. retire is different and more fundamental. Coaches, programs, training base, etc. can only follow after a firm decision to compete. One could say that the announcement was premature, but not that the decision was "rash".

I also want fair judging. And I don't think that's too much to ask. In fact, in an ideal world, fair judging should be a given, not a luxury.

Of course, but we are not in an ideal world. Moreover, we all have different ideas of what an "ideal" world looks like.

[deedee1]

In her news conference, she said that she had found new motivation in training with young Korean skaters and seeing their dedication and love of the sport. I think that helped revive in her the love of skating that she had when she was beginning her career.

Yuna, now an adult, knows what she is doing and why she is doing it. As she also indicated in her news conference, she can now "skake only for herself" and I expect that freedom just might enable her to reach new heights in figure skating.

I sincerely hope she feels that way as you mentioned, jatale.

I was a bit worried about YuNa, because (it looked to me) she announced her intention to come back to competitions by plainly reading what's written on paper and not looking up at the media just once. Besides, she seldom showed her smiles during the press conference in the short news clips I saw on TV in Tokyo, which worried me even more...
Bottom line is I hope her mother/managing company did not tell YuNa what to say or what not to say prior to having that press conference. She IS an adult now.

And I hope that the Korean media just leaves her alone and her countrymen/women do not put too much expectations on her this time around, so that she can truly skate for herself leading up to Sochi. (I feel the same way for Mao.)

I would rather see a new champion but may the best girl win, and not by some 30 points. I just want fair judging, as always.

Com'n girls! Bring your A game if you want the win!