Cha, Lee, You and Kim to figure skate for Korea in Beijing

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Cha, Lee, You and Kim to figure skate for Korea in Beijing

Published: 10 Jan. 2022, 12:08

Cha Jun-hwan performs his free skate program in the men's singles competition during the second leg of the Beijing Winter Olympic trials at Uijeongbu Indoor Ice Rink in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi on Sunday. [YONHAP]

Cha Jun-hwan, Lee Si-hyeong, Kim Ye-lim and You Young will represent Korea in figure skating at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, marking the first time that Korea has sent two male skaters to the Olympics.

Cha had earned Korea the two men’s singles berths at the 2021 World Championships held March last year. If one skater finishes within the top 10 at the World Championships, the country is given two spots in that discipline. Cha finished 10th to earn Korea’s two spots in the men’s singles at the Beijing Games.

After achieving Korea’s best-ever Olympic result in the men’s singles at the PyeongChang Games, where he finished 15th, Cha is now bound for his second consecutive Olympics. Cha topped both men’s singles national team trials. After topping the first leg of trials in December with a total of 239.16 points, Cha on Sunday finished with a total score of 283.31 in the second leg, having scored 98.31 points in Saturday’s short program and 185.00 points in Sunday’s free skate.

“I haven’t thought about a specific goal for the Olympics,” said Cha on Sunday. “But I want to have a clean run without any mistakes.”

Lee Si-hyeong performs his free skate program in the men's singles during the second leg of the Beijing Winter Olympic trials at Uijeongbu Indoor Ice Rink in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi on Sunday. [YONHAP]

Lee will be joining Cha for his first Olympics after taking runner-up position in the first and second trials. In December, Lee scored 237.01 points to take second position, with a 240.84 points on Sunday earning his spot at the Olympics.

“It’s hard just reaching the Olympics,” said Lee. “But thankfully I got good results and now have the chance to compete on the big stage thanks to Cha, who earned Korea's two berths. I want to give it all I've got because it’s my first Olympics.”

You Young performs her free skate program in the women's singles during the second leg of the Beijing Winter Olympic trials at Uijeongbu Indoor Ice Rink in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi on Sunday. [YONHAP]

Kim Ye-lim performs her free skate program in the women's singles during the second leg of the Beijing Winter Olympic trials at Uijeongbu Indoor Ice Rink in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi on Sunday. [NEWS1]

In the women’s singles, You and Kim both earned a spot at their first-ever Olympics, You taking first place and Kim second in both trials.

You scored 208.59 in the first trial in December and scored 221.49 on Sunday. Kim scored 205.82 in the first trial and scored 207.64 on Sunday.

All four skaters now head to Tallinn, Estonia for one last outing, the 2022 Four Continents Championships, before jetting off to Beijing.

At the Four Continents tournament, the women’s short program is scheduled on Jan. 20, with the men’s short program on Jan. 21. The women’s free skate will be held on Jan. 22 and the men’s will be held on Jan. 23. Kyeong Jae-seok and Lee Hae-in will join the four Olympians for the Four Continents.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]