Russian Teen Could Derail Kim Yu-na's Bid for Gold

Russian Teen Could Derail Kim Yu-na's Bid for Gold

 

englishnews@chosun.com

Feb. 10, 2014 09:47 KST

 

Julia Lipnitskaia of Russia performs her short program in the team figure skating at the Sochi Winter Olympics on Saturday.

 

Due to the emergence of an unheralded Russian teenager, Japan's Mao Asada no longer appears to be the biggest threat to Kim Yu-na becoming only the second woman to defend her Olympic title in figure skating after Katarina Witt in 1988.

 

Sixteen-year-old Julia Lipnitskaia won the ladies' short program on Saturday in the newly added team figure skating event at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics with a score of 72.90 points.

This was 0.66 points higher than her previous personal best of 72.24, which she set at the Cup of Russia in the International Skating Union's Grand Prix series last November.

It is also just 0.47 points shy of Kim's winning score of 73.37 points at the Golden Spin of Zagreb in Croatia in December, the first competition she entered this season after nursing an injury.

As there is very little difference between the seven elements that Lipnitskaia and Kim perform in their short programs, the result of the ladies' singles competition will likely depend on how the judges appraise their three spins and step sequence.

Both skaters will perform the same three jumping passages -- triple lutz-triple toe loop combination, triple flip, and double axel -- so only the grade of execution (GOE) for each element and the program components score will set them apart.

In a photo posted on the International Olympic Committee's Twitter account on Friday, Kim Yu-na is shown posing with the Sochi Games' polar bear mascot on her shoulder. /News 1

 

Lipnitskaia became the youngest European champion to date in January. Her jumps are reminiscent of Kim in the later stage of her junior career, turning quickly and covering long distance.

The Russian's strength lies in the flexibility and almost acrobatic nature of some of her moves.

Asada, who has been Kim's archrival throughout their overlapping careers, came third with 64.07 points as she fell on her triple axel. It is the first time she has not scored over 70 points this season.

Asada earned over 200 points in all three international competitions she entered this season, but never successfully landed the triple axel. She originally planned to execute the move three times at the Olympics -- once in the short program and twice in the free skate.

However, as her success rate dropped, she recently announced that she will try to perform it just once.

Japan's Mao Asada performs her short program in the team figure skating at the Sochi Winter Olympics on Saturday.

 

Even if she pulls this off, it will still be no guarantee of success. At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Asada lost to Kim by 23 points and had to settle for a silver medal despite delivering three successful triple axels.

If Saturday's performance in the team event is any indication of her current form, it is doubtful whether Asada will make it to the podium at all during these Games.

In addition to Kim and Lipnitskaia, the competition in Sochi is much tighter than it was four years ago, with current world No. 1 Carolina Kostner of Italy and emerging star Gracie Gold of the U.S. also in contention for a medal.

 

Source: english.chosun.com

 

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