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S. Korea’s Figure Skating Queen To Defend Title In Sochi

Kim Yuna will not be around when the Winter Games come to Pyeongchang in 2018, but the South Korean figure skating queen has promised to … Continue reading S. Korea’s Figure Skating Queen To Defend Title In Sochi


Kim Yuna will not be around when the Winter Games come to Pyeongchang in 2018, but the South Korean figure skating queen has promised to give her all in the defence of her Olympic title in Sochi next year.

Kim blew away the competition in Vancouver three years ago to become the first South Korean to win an Olympic figure skating gold medal and is highly fancied to retain her title in the Russian Black Sea resort in February.

The 22-year-old joined speed skating gold medallist Lee Sang-hwa and other athletes, coaches and officials at the Taeneung National Training Center in north-eastern Seoul to discuss South Korea’s preparations for the Games.

South Korea’s slogan for the Games is “Team Korea, Fly 204”, symbolises their determination to spread the Olympic spirit among the IOC’s 204 member nations.

Speed skater Lee, who won a gold medal in the 500 metres in Vancouver, also read out a resolution from the team with paralympian sledge ice hockey captain Han Min-su.

After winning six gold medals and 14 medals to finish fifth in Vancouver, South Korea is targeting at least four gold medals in Sochi and 20 medals overall for a top-four finish in 2018.

The Korean Olympic Committee has extended the training period for Sochi-bound athletes to 240 days from 210 days for Vancouver to give South Korean athletes more time to prepare.