BEIJING– Deep inside, Kim Ye-lim knew she had done her absolute best. She couldn’t be happier with her effort.
Once the South Korean figure skater saw her free skate score at Beijing 2022 Thursday night, though, she felt a tinge of disappointment.
“It’s all bittersweet,” Kim said after finishing ninth overall in the women’s singles competition at Capital Indoor Stadium. Kim had 134.85 points in her free skate and 202.63 points total to finish ninth overall. “I was happy to have put in my best possible effort, but then the score let me down a little bit.”
In late January, Kim had set a personal-best score in the free skate with 140.98 points en route to winning bronze at the International Skating Union Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. Her performance on Thursday wasn’t that far off but she fell more than six points shy of that mark.
Kim was docked a few points for taking off on the wrong edge on her triple lutz, which requires an entrance from a back outside edge.
“I’ve never been called for the wrong edge with the lutz before,” Kim said. “But I’ll try to use this as a stepping stone for the future. I did everything I could. I am happy with my ranking position.”
The 19-year-old said she has been skating through back pains since the Four Continents, but she refused to use her physical issues as a crutch.
“I took painkillers and put on patches. Basically, I did everything that could help ease the pains,” Kim said. “Those pains obviously affected my jumps, but as an athlete, it’s something I have to deal with. I have to keep giving my best effort no matter what.”
After her program, Kim shared a hug with the other South Korean on the ice, You Young. You, 17, finished in sixth place with 213.09 points overall.
The teenagers have been competing next to each other for years but on this night, Kim was able to put aside their rivalry for a moment.
“We’ve been pushing each other hard since we were little,” Kim said. “When I hugged her, I almost cried. I am sure we’re going to have some deep conversations about our experience here later.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency