Last night, one of the Winter Olympics' marquee events, the women's figure skating final, took place and Kim Yu-Na of South Korea won the gold medal with a world record score. After facing intense pressure and expectations from her country to bring them their first gold in a sport other than speedskating, Kim, 19, said, "I still can't believe it. I waited a long time for the Olympics, and it feels like a large weight has been lifted off."
The NY Times' Jere Longman wrote, "Dressed in azure, skating to Gershwin, Kim...seemingly floated to the clouds with her soaring jumps and airy elegance Thursday night, winning an Olympic gold medal and her rightful place as one of the greatest women’s figure skaters of all time... Math alone cannot fully describe the resourcefulness, complexity and artistry of her skating, except in this context: Kim would have finished ninth in the men’s competition, nearly 10 points ahead of the American national champion, Jeremy Abbott."
Kim's closest competitor, Mao Asada of Japan, won silver (she was 23 points behind Kim). Asada, also 19, said, "I did everything I can. To complete both triple axels well at the Olympics was one good thing about my performance. But I am not happy with the rest of my performance. I do feel regretful." The bronze was given to Joannie Rochette of Canada, who skated just days after her mother died of a massive heart attack in Vancouver. Rochette, 24, told reporters, "I feel proud and the result didn't matter. But I'm happy to be on the podium. That was my goal coming in. It's been a lifelong project with my mum, and we achieved that." And for the first time since 1964, no American woman medaled in the Winter Olympics: Mirai Nagasu, 16, finished fourth while Rachael Flatt, 17, was seventh.
Here's video of the free skate program performances: Kim, Asada, Rochette, Nagasu. And it wouldn't be skating without some swipes. Courtesy the Times, Scott Hamilton compared Kim to Seabiscuit, "Yuna is like Seabiscuit, a champion who found a way of breaking others' will" and also said, "There’s no weakness there. Compare her with anybody; she’s got it all. Under any system, anywhere, anytime, she’d win," but American coach David Kirby said, "Clearly, she’s the best girl, but it’s because she’s the best technician. She’s 70 percent sport, 30 percent art. Peggy Fleming was a real artist and real athlete. I don’t think that balance of art and sport is the Olympic champion this year."
And to underscore the Kim's presence in South Korea, the chief of the South Korean Olympic Committee said to the Times, "Kim Yu-na is the country’s special sister. Every athlete is important, but her medal is more important than the others. She is beautiful. She’s our pride. I think the Koreans will have a lot of drinks."
