‘Figure skating general’ Kim Ye-rim (20, Dankook University) increased his chances of winning a medal by taking first place in the short program at the 2023 International Skating Union (ISU) Four Continents Championships. It is the first challenge in 14 years since Kim Yuna (retired) won her gold medal in this event in 2009. Cha Jun-hwan (22, Korea University), who was aiming for a second consecutive victory in this event, made a mistake in the men’s short program by falling and ended up in 5th place.
Kim Ye-rim recorded the season’s highest points (total score 72.84 points) with 39.35 points in technical score (TES) and 33.49 points in art score (PCS) in the women’s single short program held at Broadmoor World Arena in Springs, Colorado, USA on the 10th (Korean time). 1st place out of 23. Kim Ye-rim, who won a bronze medal in this event last year, can now hope for her second medal in a row.
Kim Ye-rim started her performance on the same day to Max Richter’s ‘Mercy’. She got off to a good start, lightly succeeding in her first jump assignment, a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination jump. She followed this up with a brilliant success in the double axel, and he showed good condition by receiving the highest level 4 in the flying camel spin. In the second half, where she gets an extra 10%, she neatly performed a triple flip with her final jump. He completed the step sequence (level 4), change foot combination spin안전놀이터 (level 4), and sit spin (level 3) perfectly.
Kim Chae-yeon (Suri High School), who competed with Kim Ye-rim, ranked third (70.86 points), and last year’s silver medalist Lee Hae-in (Sehwa Girls’ High School) placed sixth (69.13 points).
Korean women’s figure skating has been silent for a long time since Yuna Kim won the gold medal at the 2009 Vancouver Games. Then, at the 2020 competition, Yoo Young won a silver medal, and at last year’s Tallinn competition, Hae-in Lee and Ye-rim Kim won silver and bronze medals, respectively. Kim Ye-rim starts free skating on the 11th and challenges to the top.
Meanwhile, the much-anticipated “defending champion” Cha Jun-hwan finished 5th (83.77 points) in the short program that day. This left Cha Jun-hwan’s highest score of 99.51 points, as well as this season’s highest score of 94.44 points, leaving much to be desired. Cha Jun-hwan, who became the first Korean male figure skater to win the championship last year, is aiming for a second consecutive victory. Japan’s Gao Miura took first place (91.90 points) in the men’s short.