(Olympics) Figure skater moving on from letdown in short program

유지호 / 2022-02-16 17:25:30

(Olympics) figure skater-scoring

▲ South Korean figure skater You Young practices at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing on Feb. 16, 2022, the eve of the free skate in the women's singles competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics. (Yonhap)

▲ South Korean figure skater You Young (L) trains next to Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing on Feb. 16, 2022, the eve of the free skate in the women's singles competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics. (Yonhap)

▲ South Korean figure skater Kim Ye-lim practices at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing on Feb. 16, 2022, the eve of the free skate in the women's singles competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics. (Yonhap)

(Olympics) figure skater-scoring

(Olympics) Figure skater moving on from letdown in short program

By Yoo Jee-ho

BEIJING, Feb. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korean figure skater You Young appeared to have opened her short program at Beijing 2022 with a clean triple axel Tuesday night. Judges saw it differently, as they downgraded the jump to a double axel.

Figure skaters often lose points for under-rotating jumps, but having a triple jump downgraded entirely to a double jump is rare for someone of You's caliber. The 17-year-old ranked sixth after the short program with 70.34 points, but the downgrade cost her nearly five points and a spot in the top five heading into Thursday's free skate.

After her practice on Wednesday at Capital Indoor Stadium, You said she rewatched her performance a couple of times the previous night. That was enough to get You to move on from the scoring decision.

"There's nothing I can do about that now. I will have to accept it," You said. "I will try to execute a complete jump tomorrow and get a better score."

She said she was a bit exhausted after going through her first night of the pressure cooker that is the Olympics. She said she didn't go 100 percent in Wednesday's practice, though she attempted several triple axels.

"I landed some and I fell a few times as well," You said. "Since it is my opening jump, it's important for me to land it cleanly, so that I can feel more comfortable with the rest of my program."

In the short program, she skated in the final group of six, which included the prohibitive gold medal favorite, Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). By virtue of finishing in the top six after the short program, You will once again perform in the final group. Skaters go in reverse order of their short program standings, and You will be sixth from last to take the ice.

"It's a tremendous experience to skate in the final group," You said. "I've had a chance to practice and compete alongside some incredible skaters. This is something I will never forget."

On Tuesday, You had the enviable task of skating immediately after Valieva. The 15-year-old Russian is competing under the cloud of a doping scandal. Though it was belatedly revealed last week that she'd tested positive for a banned medication in December, Valieva has been cleared to skate by the top sports tribunal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

As the heavy title favorite, Valieva would have attracted plenty of attention even without that controversy. The doping scandal has elevated the term "media circus" to a whole new level, with hundreds of prying eyes tracking Valieva's every move, be it during practice, competition or her walk through the mixed zone.

You has had a front-row seat to all that circus, having trained in the same group as Valieva before and after the short program, and having skated immediately after the Russian. You has had to work extra hard to control her nerves.

"I've never been in such a big competition, and I've been a nervous wreck here," You said. "I've done some visualization training and I've talked to my friends and family to settle down."

As for her goal in the free skate, You said, "I want to execute everything I've worked for, and leave everything on the ice."

One other South Korean in action, Kim Ye-lim, ranked ninth after the short program with 67.78 points. Kim was called for an unclear edge on the takeoff of her opening triple lutz, and also lost points for an incomplete landing of her triple flip. She only received Level 2, the second-highest in the scoring scale, on her sit spin to close out the program.

On the other hand, Kim landed a clean double axel, and received Level 4s on her other spins and step sequence.

"I wasn't 100 percent satisfied with my execution, and my program wasn't all that clean," Kim said after her practice. "But I am not going to carry my disappointments into tomorrow's performance."

Kim admitted to feeling a bit exhausted, both physically and mentally, and she didn't want to expend too much of what little energy she had left in practice.

"I wasn't feeling great about myself today," Kim said. "But I will try to be better in the free skate."

(END)