'Looking down on creation'
Yu-na talks about her 'natual gifts,' her plans for Winter Olympics By Kim Tong-hyung Kim Yu-na has talent. And just in case anyone isn’t opened-jawed in wonderment at just how good she is, the figure-skating megastar will say it herself. "I think it’s true that I am naturally gifted in what I do. I admit have seen athletes who work harder than me. So yes, I think I am a natural,’’ said a grinning Kim, meeting Korean reporters the day after her emphatic showing at the World Championships in London, Ontario, Canada. "On the other hand, there are athletes who are immensely talented, but never realize this and don’t work hard to polish it. Natural talent doesn’t mean much when you don’t learn how to embrace it.’’ Coming off a two-year hiatus, the reigning Olympic champion made a deafening statement that she is still the one to beat at next year’s Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Her overall 218.31-point total in London was a whopping 20 points higher than second-place finisher Carolina Kostner, representing the largest margin of victory since the current scoring system took effect in 2005. Kim, who says she will retire after competing in Sochi, is vowing to become the first women’s two-time champion since German legend Katrina Witt, who won consecutive gold medals in the 1984 Games in Sarajevo and 1988 Games in Calgary. While Kim represents a rare blend of artistic expression, skills and athleticism on ice, it often seems that confidence is her biggest asset. The 22-year-old has always displayed a flair for the moment. It was at the Vancouver Olympics that she snatched the gold with a mind-boggling 228.56 points, which shattered the old world record by a margin of 18 points. Kim had never faced more doubts about her abilities than during the buildup to the recent World Championships. When everything was said and done, Kim’s final score was surpassed only by the mark she set in Vancouver. "Everyone talks as if I have a heart of steel and am confident about everything. But the truth is my level of confidence depends on the level of practice I was able to put in. When I am not prepared as I wanted to be, or not in good physical form, I am worried like everybody else,’’ Kim said, reminding listeners that she finished ''only’’ third at the World Championships in 2007 and 2008. She said she had sustained injuries in preparation for both events. Kim talked as if she will lay back and relax for a while, now that the figure-skating season is over. She was reluctant to talk too much about her Olympic aspirations, but according to the unprecedented bar she set for herself, anything less than a gold medal would be considered a letdown. When pressed to talk about her goal for Sochi ― as if it wasn’t obvious ― Kim said she thinks of the Olympics no differently than any other competition. "Obviously, I’d like to do well in every competition I participate in,’’ she said. "The Olympics is just like any other competition. It’s not like I put in more work for the Olympics than a Grand Prix event. I will do my best to give myself the best chance to win.’’ Kim, who worked with Canadian Brian Orser at the Vancouver Olympics, hinted she will retain her current coaches, Shin Hye-sook and Ryu Jong-hyun, through the Sochi Olympics. Their contracts expire at the end of this month. Since Kim reunited with her two childhood coaches last year, she won the NRW Trophy in Germany in December, the Korean national title in January and the world championship last weekend. Choreographer David Wilson has been working with Kim since her preparation for the Vancouver Games. |
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