[스포츠한국 김영건 기자] Lee Hae-in (17), the “hope of Korean figure skating”, came second in the women’s single short program at the 2023 International Skating Union (ISU) Figure Skating World Championships. If she succeeds in winning a medal, it will be her first medal in 10 years since Kim Yuna.
In the women’s single short program at the 2023 ISU Figure Skating World Championships held at Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on the 22nd, Lee Hae-in ranked second out of 35 skaters with a technical score (TES) of 39.51 points, an art score (PCS) of 34.11 points, and a total of 73.62 points. . ‘Defending champion’ Kaori Sakamoto (22, Japan) took first place with 79.24 points, and Mai Mihara (23, Japan) took third place with 73.46 points.
Kim Chae-yeon, who participated together, was ranked 12th with 64.06 points. ‘Figure skating general’ Kim Ye-rim stayed in 17th place with 60.02 points.
On this day, Lee Hae-in started acting according to Eric Radford’s ‘Storm’. He got off to a good start by finishing clean with a double axel and triple lutz-triple toe loop combination.
Lee Hae-in, who performed a flying camel spin, also succeeded in a clean triple flip, the last jump. He finished the performance by completing the remaining sit spin, step sequence, and change foot combination spins without any mistakes.
Lee Hae-in’s short program score of 73.62 in this event is her personal best. Previously, Lee Hae-in’s highest score in the short program was 70.08 at the 2020 ISU World Junior Championships. Lee Hae-in easily broke her personal best in the short program at this event.
Currently, the ISU has banned Russian athletes, ‘the most powerful country in figure skating’, from participating due to the Russia-Ukraine war. This is why Lee Hae-in’s chances of winning a medal are higher than ever. The rise of Lee Hae-in is also noticeable. Previously, Lee Hae-in won the ISU Figure Skating Four Continents Championships in February, the first time since Kim Yu-na in 14 years.
Lee Hae-in will compete in the women’s single free skating on the 24th and challenge for a medal at the World Championships for the first time in 10 years since Kim Yu-na. World Championship medals in Korean figure skating ended with Yuna Kim’s gold medal in the 2013 season. Yooyoung’s fifth place in the women’s singles last season was her best finish since Yuna Kim.
