Yu Na Kim, can she still medal?? | Golden Skate

Yu Na Kim, can she still medal??

iloveaxel

Match Penalty
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Yu Na Kim participated in the 'Korea’s 88th Winter Sports' as she's recovering from the injury. The performance she put on was sub-par, I'm starting to worry about her conditioning due to lack of training.

According to 'Michelle K', Yu Na only landed a 3flip, a single axel and fell on the 3lutz combo in the short program; in the long program, she did a bit better. She landed a 3f+2t, 2A, 3lutz+2toe+2loop, 3s, 2A, popped a 3toe, fell on another 3toe.

Poor girl, she's already had lots of injuries. The following photo is even more depressing and a bit humorous. It shows her physician gave Yu Na a bunch of very thick books on how to continue her physical theraphy when she's being discharged from the hospital.

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/3741/zh07ox0.jpg
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/5952/200702221401028630lf5.jpg


Can she still medal?? There are still more than 20 days left. I certainly won't count her out yet. Before GPF, she also had severe back pain, but managed to pull off a huge upset.

But still, her conditioning is sort of very discouraging so close to the worlds. What's your opinion?
 
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R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Yes.

I busted out laughing when I first saw the title of this thread cause I was like, not again- not another one of these doom and gloom threads.

I'm not ready to count her out- let's just put it that way. Yes, she can still medal. Maybe she's weaker than Asada and therefore has less of a shot at WINNING...but she can still medal. Will she? may be somewhat questionable in light of this article (given that it could sap her confidence) but she definitely still can. Never fear Kim fans
 

Fozzie Bear

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
It's worrisome because one of the reports said she had trouble with the camel, which is probably her best spin.

I just hope she's going to Worlds because she can/wants to, not because she feels pressure from her federation/fans. Her long-term health is more important than a medal here.
 

SailorGalaxia518

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 27, 2004
She may end up winning the gold for all we know.

It's going to be a three-way battle between: Mao Asada, Yu-Na Kim, and Kimmie Meissner
 

slutskayafan21

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 28, 2005
She may end up winning the gold for all we know.

It's going to be a three-way battle between: Mao Asada, Yu-Na Kim, and Kimmie Meissner

If Miki Ando skates like she did at Skate America she will almost certainly medal, and has a shot at gold, particularly with Worlds in Japan which will benefit the scores to both Asada and Ando relative to Kim and Meissner.
 

SailorGalaxia518

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 27, 2004
If Miki Ando skates like she did at Skate America she will almost certainly medal, and has a shot at gold, particularly with Worlds in Japan which will benefit the scores to both Asada and Ando relative to Kim and Meissner.

Oh yeah, I forgot about her.

Miki Ando most definitely could be the spoiler
 

mizu_iro

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 28, 2006
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Lz04e7OAnHs

Here's a video of the free skate.

I'm not that worried about the jumps...I think she won't have that much trouble getting her timing back (especially since it's the triple toe that's the problem). What's more alarming is that it looks like she couldn't do a layback or a camel at the beginning...she did do a Biellmann spiral and a camel position in her final combination spin, so maybe it'll be better by Worlds.

I really hope she isn't rushing her body.
 

iloveaxel

Match Penalty
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Lz04e7OAnHs

Here's a video of the free skate.

I'm not that worried about the jumps...I think she won't have that much trouble getting her timing back (especially since it's the triple toe that's the problem). What's more alarming is that it looks like she couldn't do a layback or a camel at the beginning...she did do a Biellmann spiral and a camel position in her final combination spin, so maybe it'll be better by Worlds.

I really hope she isn't rushing her body.

Thanks so much, do u have her SP link?
 

Zuranthium

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
She's such a beautiful skater regardless.

Her jumps are so light in that video. I have no idea how she does it - there is almost no height to the jumps and she doesn't rotate very vast...and yet by the time she lands all the rotations are there. It's magical, really.

~Z
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
She's exquisite but watching her skate injured is a bit nerve-wracking. I wish they would just let her wait until the next worlds.

OTOH - what a lovely version of butt-spin (? Sandhu's move) she does at the very end. Her arms are like tendrils winding around the column of her legs - they really make it lovely. I nominate her for the GS "Bad Move Done Best" award. :biggrin:
 

ladybug

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I love Kim's skating but with the injury and lack of training, I doubt we will see her win the gold. I think U.S.A.'s Kim will take the gold again. She is the most consistant under pressure and I think Asada and Miki will both destruct under the pressure of skating on home ice.

I would love to see Kim take the gold because with all the injuries she has had, I think her career will be cut short.

Ladybug
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I think Asada has shown to a certain extent that she can handle pressure- at least the non-stifling type, lol. NHK- needing to win to make the GPF, and at Japanese nationals. But of course she'll be under a new kind of microscope and we really can't tell how she'll handle it. Same with Kimmie, going in as the defending world champ (even though as a "non-favorite"). But I still think Kim has a chance to MEDAL, as the thread title pleads. I think she has a shot at winning still, although not as big a shot perhaps as before. I'm counting no one out.
 

krenseby

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
It's worrisome because one of the reports said she had trouble with the camel, which is probably her best spin.

I just hope she's going to Worlds because she can/wants to, not because she feels pressure from her federation/fans. Her long-term health is more important than a medal here.


This makes me wonder whether the GP competitions are really not too burdensome for most skaters. Multiple competitions that could wear out the body, all for a GP final finish, that, no matter how good it may be, could never be worthy incurring an injury.

I think Yuna's GP win was a momentous victory because she faced the top skaters in the world to get there. It might have been best for her to skip some of the events and nurture her body instead of putting up with an injury for a GP prize that no one outside of the skating world cares about.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
but how does SHE feel about her accomplishment? THAT's the question we should be asking. An SA or SC title may not be important to US but it might be to THEM...of course, not as big as a world title or national title but still probably a big deal nonetheless.

(except for those skaters with big egos- no names ;) )
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
But I"m not sure SHE and THEY are the same thing. IOW, I'm not sure she is skating for herself but perhaps instead for the Korean federation with its pursuit of national glory.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
IMHO, the question of 'to 3A or not to 3A', is paramount for the gold medal in Ladies.

If there are no 3As in Tokyo, then the scoring should be on the best skater that afternoon/night. If YuNa is healthy, she will be my choice.

Joe
 

waxel

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
This makes me wonder whether the GP competitions are really not too burdensome for most skaters.

I don't see it. Even if a skater did 4 GPs (including a non-scoring event and the final), their nationals, a major regional (4CC, Euros, Asians, etc.) and worlds, we are talking about fewer than 10 competitions. These are supposed to be world class athletes and should be able to handle that small a work load.
 

russell30

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 14, 2004
The Ladies is wide open as I have said before, its not just about Mao, Yu Na And Kimmie although they are the 3 to beat. The short program will hold the key. If all 3 do their 3x3 combo and skate clean then yes they will have a good lead into the free program over the others and will hold off the others in the free skate. If kostner and Ando do their 3x3 as well and skate clean they will be in the mix and could have a shout at the medals or even gold if Yu Na, Mao and Kimmie have a bad free skate. But in my opinon 10 ladies are capable of medalling they are:

Asada/Kim/Meissner/Kostner/Ando/Nakano/Meier/Hughes/Rochette/Poykio

As for Yu Na its a shame she has this nagging back problem, like others I will not count her out at this stage but at this point of time Asada and Meissner might have a slight advantage over her, and Ando might have a chance because of this.We will see. As i say I am looking forward to an excellent Ladies Competition and one that has some depth in as many years. I think 92 was the last time where there was a great depth in the ladies field.
 
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nubka

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Ouch, that camel spin looked painfull. I hope she will be ok., and not forced to skate if her body really isn't ready for it yet...
 
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