Kim looking like a lock for second gold medal in Sochi | Golden Skate

Kim looking like a lock for second gold medal in Sochi

yuki90

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
IOC also expect Kim is the heavy favorite for the gold medal but ice is slippery......:( anything can happen especially in the Olympics
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
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Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
Amen to that. Kim is due to be less then perfect in a big competition and it worries me that she's not competed much this season. I know it didn't matter last year but i don't expect her to be that dominant again. Ice is slippery as Scott Hamilton always says.
 

YesWay

四年もかけて&#
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Sep 28, 2013
IOC also expect Kim is the heavy favorite for the gold medal but ice is slippery......:( anything can happen especially in the Olympics
Yes, ice is slippery. But FS judges have a long and proven history of being more slippery than any ice... :-D

Kim will take home another gold medal.
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
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May 19, 2011
Yes, ice is slippery. But FS judges have a long and proven history of being more slippery than any ice... :-D

Oooh, well said! :agree:

I think Yu-Na's chances are great but by no means is she a lock for the gold medal. In a field that stacked with competitors, there is never a lock for gold b/c too many things can happen. I would go so far as to say she's a lock for a medal and a favorite for gold but she's not a lock for gold.
 

thinspread

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 8, 2013

Don't jinx Yuna! Apparently, that guy writing for Japan Times knows not much about FS. He's wrong on Yuna's missed element during Korean nationals.

I think Yu-Na's chances are great but by no means is she a lock for the gold medal. In a field that stacked with competitors, there is never a lock for gold b/c too many things can happen. I would go so far as to say she's a lock for a medal and a favorite for gold but she's not a lock for gold.

Well said.

IOC also expect Kim is the heavy favorite for the gold medal but ice is slippery......:( anything can happen especially in the Olympics

Yes, she's IOC's darling. Why not: http://www.olympic.org/news/yuna-kim-the-queen-of-the-rink/219201

Amen to that. Kim is due to be less then perfect in a big competition and it worries me that she's not competed much this season. I know it didn't matter last year but i don't expect her to be that dominant again. Ice is slippery as Scott Hamilton always says.

I think she will dominate again if she go near clean.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Yes, I'm never comfortable calling someone a lock for any medal, but especially in a sport where it's so easy to slip (both metaphorically and literally). You also can't count on all the other competitors behaving exactly as they did previously. This could be the night where, to paraphrase Brian Boitano describing his 1988 long program, angels hold up Mao Asada as she executes two perfect triple axels, or where Julia or Akiko reach that magical level where time stands still and gravity becomes a servant instead of a master.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
i think it is safe to say if Kim is clean she will win gold. Near clean a medal is almost assured. But this could be an ARakawa or Hughes moment. Nice story for those win but it kind of is sad to see the big guns just fizzle out without oly gold ie. Kwan, Orser, Browning, Slutskaya or even headcase Cohen. That's life though.
 

jaylee

Medalist
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Meh. Being a Yu-Na fan and a skating fan who has watched a lot of Olympics with surprising results, I wouldn't call Yu-Na a lock either.

Yu-Na was in better condition going into Vancouver, without the question mark of the injury recovery, so that made her chances better then now. Still, I like the position Yu-Na is in now. She has her key jumps, there's no obsessing over the flip like there was in the 2009-2010 season. Her programs are great. She's gotten in a clean SP and a near clean FS.

She has most definitely not committed to a goal of winning a second OGM. She said it more eloquently than I could--if she gets a good result, she'll be happy, but she's focused on her performances, enjoying the Olympics experience, and having a happy ending to her career. Mentally, she's in the right place, physically, she's on track.

If a second OGM happens, great. But if it doesn't happen though, I am still grateful to her for coming back and proving that an Olympic gold medal doesn't have to be the end of one's career. She risked her reputation by continuing to compete (one only has to look at Sarah Hughes at 2003 Worlds to see the risks of competing after your Olympic triumph, and Yu-Na herself took a few knocks for not being at her best at either 2010 or 2011 Worlds), and though there were ups and downs, she persevered, and has another world title and world medal with a historic Worlds performance already in the bag.

Since Katarina Witt continued to compete, the only Olympic champion that competed for another season is Sarah Hughes and Yu-Na Kim. Sarah reinforced the idea that it's best to retire after winning the OGM. Yu-Na reversed that and proved that the OGM doesn't have to be the end as soon as you win it, setting the standard higher for later Olympic ladies champions to come.

TAHbKA at FSU translated a terrific interview with Alexei Urmanov, and he had this to say in response to a question about retirement:

I think if you retire at the age of 20 - was there a career? Take Tara Lipinski - she won at the age of 14 and retired. Was there a sport in her career? Not much. I think an athlete has to go through the build up, the success, the nerves, the fight - it makes it a real career. When you come, win and run away as a kid - I don't get it. No one said an athlete has to retire at the age of 30 rather than 15, you're right, there is no limit when to start and when to finish, it's individual. Sometimes the injures make the athlete retire earlier, sometimes there is a right moment to retire, sometimes athletes remain for too long. It's really hard to figure what the right time is.

Yu-Na has had a real career. Don't know what the end will be, but it's a real career with just about every achievement a skater could want.
 

RABID

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Meh. Being a Yu-Na fan and a skating fan who has watched a lot of Olympics with surprising results, I wouldn't call Yu-Na a lock either.

Yu-Na was in better condition going into Vancouver, without the question mark of the injury recovery, so that made her chances better then now. Still, I like the position Yu-Na is in now. She has her key jumps, there's no obsessing over the flip like there was in the 2009-2010 season. Her programs are great. She's gotten in a clean SP and a near clean FS.

She has most definitely not committed to a goal of winning a second OGM. She said it more eloquently than I could--if she gets a good result, she'll be happy, but she's focused on her performances, enjoying the Olympics experience, and having a happy ending to her career. Mentally, she's in the right place, physically, she's on track.

If a second OGM happens, great. But if it doesn't happen though, I am still grateful to her for coming back and proving that an Olympic gold medal doesn't have to be the end of one's career. She risked her reputation by continuing to compete (one only has to look at Sarah Hughes at 2003 Worlds to see the risks of competing after your Olympic triumph, and Yu-Na herself took a few knocks for not being at her best at either 2010 or 2011 Worlds), and though there were ups and downs, she persevered, and has another world title and world medal with a historic Worlds performance already in the bag.

Since Katarina Witt continued to compete, the only Olympic champion that competed for another season is Sarah Hughes and Yu-Na Kim. Sarah reinforced the idea that it's best to retire after winning the OGM. Yu-Na reversed that and proved that the OGM doesn't have to be the end as soon as you win it, setting the standard higher for later Olympic ladies champions to come.

TAHbKA at FSU translated a terrific interview with Alexei Urmanov, and he had this to say in response to a question about retirement:



Yu-Na has had a real career. Don't know what the end will be, but it's a real career with just about every achievement a skater could want.

Wasn't it P. J. Kwong, the CBC skating "expert" who said YuNa was already a legend BEFORE 2013 Worlds? If YuNa was a soldier in parade dress she would be weighted down with the amount of medals and accomplishments she has earned for herself. :laugh:
Also this thread should have been titled, Kim is looking like a lock once again for a podium finish. I think THAT should be the real story because that is the most amazing thing about her career. :)
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
Meh. Being a Yu-Na fan and a skating fan who has watched a lot of Olympics with surprising results, I wouldn't call Yu-Na a lock either.

Yu-Na was in better condition going into Vancouver, without the question mark of the injury recovery, so that made her chances better then now. Still, I like the position Yu-Na is in now. She has her key jumps, there's no obsessing over the flip like there was in the 2009-2010 season. Her programs are great. She's gotten in a clean SP and a near clean FS.

She has most definitely not committed to a goal of winning a second OGM. She said it more eloquently than I could--if she gets a good result, she'll be happy, but she's focused on her performances, enjoying the Olympics experience, and having a happy ending to her career. Mentally, she's in the right place, physically, she's on track.

If a second OGM happens, great. But if it doesn't happen though, I am still grateful to her for coming back and proving that an Olympic gold medal doesn't have to be the end of one's career. She risked her reputation by continuing to compete (one only has to look at Sarah Hughes at 2003 Worlds to see the risks of competing after your Olympic triumph, and Yu-Na herself took a few knocks for not being at her best at either 2010 or 2011 Worlds), and though there were ups and downs, she persevered, and has another world title and world medal with a historic Worlds performance already in the bag.

Since Katarina Witt continued to compete, the only Olympic champion that competed for another season is Sarah Hughes and Yu-Na Kim. Sarah reinforced the idea that it's best to retire after winning the OGM. Yu-Na reversed that and proved that the OGM doesn't have to be the end as soon as you win it, setting the standard higher for later Olympic ladies champions to come.

TAHbKA at FSU translated a terrific interview with Alexei Urmanov, and he had this to say in response to a question about retirement:



Yu-Na has had a real career. Don't know what the end will be, but it's a real career with just about every achievement a skater could want.
To be honest thought Witt skated every year after she won her Gold medal and never took any time off. Yuna took of all of 2011-12 and only skated at Worlds in 2011. She hasn't put herself through the GP season since 2009 she's simply picked and choosed when she was going to skate and mostly to get the spots for Worlds and the Olympics not because she loved skating so much.
 

ahy

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
She was injured, it is so obvious when you watch her performace in golden spin. Last year, she couldnt get a gp slot because she didnt compete.
 

jaylee

Medalist
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
To be honest thought Witt skated every year after she won her Gold medal and never took any time off. Yuna took of all of 2011-12 and only skated at Worlds in 2011. She hasn't put herself through the GP season since 2009 she's simply picked and choosed when she was going to skate and mostly to get the spots for Worlds and the Olympics not because she loved skating so much.

Well, different eras, but Witt wasn't a top contender for the quad previous to her first Olympic gold medal. She had one world medal, 1 Euros title, zero world titles, before she emerged with the OGM in 1984. Yu-Na was a top contender for the entire 2006-2010 quad and went through a lot more and accomplished more than Witt did in her first quad.

The sport is far more demanding now than it ever was in Witt's time. I don't think Yu-Na "picked and chose" so much as she really needed a break physically and mentally. It was VERY unclear in 2011-2012 if Yu-Na would ever compete again. Many (most?) fans thought no, that was it.

I suppose you can criticize Yu-Na for not doing the GP, but every other Olympic champion since Witt just retired, except Sarah Hughes. Why should Yu-Na get more criticism than them when they just stopped competing entirely? So I do think Yu-Na deserves more credit than she gets for coming back and showing that a ladies Olympic champion can continue to have success competitively after the Olympic win.
 

VirMo

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 28, 2013
To be honest thought Witt skated every year after she won her Gold medal and never took any time off. Yuna took of all of 2011-12 and only skated at Worlds in 2011. She hasn't put herself through the GP season since 2009 she's simply picked and choosed when she was going to skate and mostly to get the spots for Worlds and the Olympics not because she loved skating so much.

We can't really compare Yuna to Witt because the circumstances are so different. Witt did not have a choice but to keep competing and also her winning OGM also meant her freedom - very complicated and dark political history attached to her story.

It doesn't really matter after all. Yuna will compete with what she has.
 

Gigi13

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2013
I agree with everyone else, Yuna isn't a lock for the gold medal, she's a lock for a medal and a favorite for gold but not a lock for the gold medal.
 

sporkwhatspork

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
I'm with those worried about jinxing Yuna's chances.

That said, it really is kinda amazing that she's a lock for a medal of any color. Hell would have to freeze over before Yuna missed the podium. Oh wait...dangit. :p
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Yes, I'm never comfortable calling someone a lock for any medal, but especially in a sport where it's so easy to slip (both metaphorically and literally). You also can't count on all the other competitors behaving exactly as they did previously. This could be the night where, to paraphrase Brian Boitano describing his 1988 long program, angels hold up Mao Asada as she executes two perfect triple axels, or where Julia or Akiko reach that magical level where time stands still and gravity becomes a servant instead of a master.

I know you love Mao and recall you hoped she'd win all the way to Sochi. She is you beloved fave I think, and secret wish. It would be nice to see her get gold, but I'd be just as happy as seeing Akiko, maybe moreso, as she is number 1 this season, and Ashley has beautiful performances-just needs to control nerves for that darn 3/3 everyone says must be there to win. Julia has grown on me all season. She is a little kid in a field of polished women.

I have not had time today, but I never thought (spoiler on Ladies US Sp Nationals-turn away) Ashley would be in 4th! Unfair judging. And I am shocked! So anything can happen. Kim should not be a lock with her skating so far THIS YEAR. Gone is top speed, and she's making mistakes on easy jumps. A 3 toe? A double axel? She Does not do a Biemann, and her lines were never the best. She is not the skater she was last year. IMO Les Mis was very good technically and her performance was good. Good program and music suited her. She deserved to win WC, and as I wrote in YuNa thread, and still got slammed anyway, she was great at KN, and I suspected gold in WC. She delivered one of her best LPs of her career, and won. Yes, she is always overscored imo since Vancouver, but many think Mao and others have superior programs as well as performance qualities.

But we saw her beat Mao by 20 points. Excessive given how well Mao skated and her qualities are very beautiful. A female even attempting 3 triple axels should get a couple points, as it really is so hard. But anyway, Vancouver YuNa is really kinda gone. We have only seen two skates where she wasn't very motivated, to look at it one way, as there was no competition in Zagreb or Nationals. So maybe she was so bored by no stimulation, she just lost her edge. I expect her to have way more fire in Sochi.

That said, the performer I'd give a gold medal to, however I needed to work with the system, which is crazy, is Akiko. Her Nationals was one to re-watch. I find her very special, in the joy she brings to skating. At 29, her last two years were stellar for me, and great skating. Ashley is unsung and I hope she is clean in the LP at Nationals. I have not read all there is, but to have her in 4th after one mistake, is criminal. Do they want to send gold in as number 1 now? It is shocking, and surprising, as she skated very well and has a very good sp program. And comes of a good GP season...so I hope to read the comp thread to hear what everyone has to say and those esp in the arena.

I do not wish to anger Yuna fans as they have numbers and clout here, and they know it and use it. YuNa is special and has deserved her wins, but the margins is all I have questioned. I also like many other fans of this very generous young lady, have not seen "queen yuna'" in Zagreb or nationals. My point respectfully made is she should not be a lock this year based on what we have seen. I felt her injury was minor. That was misconstrued. Everyone including Plusk, Kwan have used their injuried to avoid dealing with IJS and GP events they did not want to compete at. Maybe YuNa was more injured than we thought, but keeping is secret. Stamina was missing. we discussed all this. To be totally accurate, ice is more slippery for the one injured, or the one with lesser arsenal than past glory days.

And nerves will affect them all. So, anything can happen. The favorite did not win 94, 98, 2002 -at least the people's fave did not. I did not think Oxsana would beat an angry nancy skating on fire to show the world the attackers LOST their try to take her out. I thought Lyra and Kwan's joyous floating Janet Lynn like performance would beat a tech. superior Tara....wrong again. And I did not think Sarah would come from 4th with two 3/3s at 16 to be kwan, Irina the jumper and the exquisite, new and unique Sasha Cohen. Wrong again. (actually, I am going with popular opinion-some I saw coming, wink) But the competition is fierce and we do not know what politics goes on. Every Nationals has shocks and thus the Olympics. It is going to be very exciting this year!
 
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