SOUTH KOREA: WINTER OLYMPICS - South Korean figure skater Kim Yuna leaves for Sochi for her last Olympic Games

Record ID: 331548

  • Title: SOUTH KOREA: WINTER OLYMPICS - South Korean figure skater Kim Yuna leaves for Sochi for her last Olympic Games
  • Date: 12th February 2014
  • Summary: INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA (FEBRUARY 12, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FLIGHT SCHEDULES ON ELECTRONIC BOARDS AT INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SOUTH KOREAN FIGURE SKATER YUNA KIM WALKING TO THE NEWS CONFERENCE ZONE AT THE AIRPORT LOBBY FANS KIM SEATED WITH OTHER FIGURE SKATERS (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN FIGURE SKATER YUNA KIM SAYING: "As this is the second Olympic Games as well as the last competition for me, I would like to come back home after having a satisfactory performance and a good experience of the Olympics with junior athletes." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN FIGURE SKATER YUNA KIM SAYING: "Unlike the (Russian) athlete, this is my last competition, so this Olympics feel a bit different to me. I think it won't help me to think about other athletes' performances." JOURNALISTS TYPING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN FIGURE SKATER YUNA KIM SAYING: "Frankly speaking as an athlete, it is tremendously stressful for me to perform even one short programme. I thought it would be difficult for me to handle two games separated by only one or two weeks." VARIOUS OF KIM AND OTHER FIGURE SKATERS POSING FOR PHOTOS KIM AND FIGURE SKATERS LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 27th February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Korea, Republic of
  • Country: South Korea
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA7O8OUC8DKH0NB50CXO6RUNR3E
  • Story Text: South Korea's Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yuna leaves for Sochi for her second and last Olympic Games, with hpes she will win a second gold medal.
    SHOWS:
    INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA (FEBRUARY 12, 2014) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
    1. VARIOUS OF FLIGHT SCHEDULES ON ELECTRONIC BOARDS AT INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
    2. SOUTH KOREAN FIGURE SKATER YUNA KIM WALKING TO THE NEWS CONFERENCE ZONE AT THE AIRPORT LOBBY
    3. FANS
    4. KIM SEATED WITH OTHER FIGURE SKATERS
    5. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN FIGURE SKATER YUNA KIM SAYING:
    "As this is the second Olympic Games as well as the last competition for me, I would like to come back home after having a satisfactory performance and a good experience of the Olympics with junior athletes."
    6. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
    7. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN FIGURE SKATER YUNA KIM SAYING:
    "Unlike the (Russian) athlete, this is my last competition, so this Olympics feel a bit different to me. I think it won't help me to think about other athletes' performances."
    8. JOURNALISTS TYPING
    9. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN FIGURE SKATER YUNA KIM SAYING:
    "Frankly speaking as an athlete, it is tremendously stressful for me to perform even one short programme. I thought it would be difficult for me to handle two games separated by only one or two weeks."
    10. VARIOUS OF KIM AND OTHER FIGURE SKATERS POSING FOR PHOTOS
    11. KIM AND FIGURE SKATERS LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
    STORY:South Korea's Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yuna left for Sochi on Wednesday (February 12) for her second and last Olympic Games with her country's hopes for a second gold medal on her shoulders.
    She won a gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
    "As this is the second Olympic Games as well as the last competition for me, I would like to come back home after having a satisfactory performance and a good experience of the Olympics with junior athletes," said Kim at the Incheon International Airport before her departure.
    When she asked about the Russian teenage prodigy Julia Lipnitskaya's successful debut in the team competition at the Sochi Games, she said she would focus on her last performance rather than thinking about competitors.
    "Unlike the (Russian) athlete, this is my last competition, so this Olympics feel a bit different to me. I think it won't help me to think about other athletes' performances," Kim said.
    Kim did not participate in the team event at the Olympics, saving her energy for the individual performances.
    "Frankly speaking as an athlete, it is tremendously stressful for me to perform even one short programme. I thought it would be difficult for me to handle two games separated by only one or two weeks." said Kim.
    Kim suffered a foot injury last September that threatened to derail her Olympic preparations, but she returned to the competition in December, winning a minor event in Croatia and then defended the South Korean national title last month.
    If the 23-year-old athlete wins her second straight gold medal in Sochi, she will become the third woman, after Sonja Henie and Katarina Witt, to repeat as an Olympic figure skating champion.
    She will perform on February 20 and 21.
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