Reporter Kim Hee-joon = Korean figure skating women’s single signboard Lee Hae-in (19, Sehwa Girls’ High School) is about to win the gold medal at the 2023 International Ice Skating Union (ISU) Four Continents Championships, advice from Kim Yuna, the “Queen of Figure Skating” also played a part.
Lee Hae-in, who returned to Korea through Incheon International Airport on the 14th after finishing the Four Continents Championships, said, “(Kim) Yuna gave me advice before participating in this competition. He said that it would look better. He also pointed out that the gaze was not correct. I tried to supplement the part that Yuna unnie advised me.”
Lee Hae-in won the women’s singles championship at her Four Continents Championships, which ended at the Broadmoor World Arena in Springs, Colorado, USA on the 11th Korean time.
Lee Hae-in, who placed 6th in the short program with 69.13 points, won the free skate with a score of 141.71 and a total score of 210.84 with a flawless performance. It was truly a great electrode.
It has been 14 years since Kim Yu-na in 2009 that a Korean female singles player has won the Four Continents Championships. This is the first time Lee Hae-in has won a senior major event hosted by the ISU. Lee Hae-in, who won her silver medal at the event last year, succeeded in conquering her summit this time around.
Lee Hae-in said, “I thought I was dreaming when I saw my name at the top of the leaderboard. I’m glad it wasn’t a dream. I didn’t bite the gold medal, but it seems heavier than other medals,” she smiled.
Lee Hae-in, who said that he did not expect to win the short program because he stayed in 6th place, said, “I was a little nervous during the short program. Before the free skating, (Lee) Si-hyung and (Kyung) Jae-seok oppa cheered me on a lot, so I tried not to be nervous. “It was the competition I wanted to participate in the most this season, so I was happy just riding on the rink, and I felt like I was enjoying it. That’s why I got good results,” he said.
The Four Continents Championships were held in an alpine area, and most of the players had difficulty digesting the free skating program, but Lee Hae-in was unmoved.
Lee Hae-in said, “Ahead of the Four Continents Championships, the participating players had special training in the alpine zone. After training, I tried every day to distribute my stamina well.” 토토사이트
In the 2021-2022 season, Lee Hae-in suffered ups and downs. In the first round of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics qualifying round, he failed to avoid sluggishness and finished in 6th place, and failed to make up for it in the second round, so he could not step on the Olympic stage.
Lee Hae-in did not give up. At the Four Continents Championships last year, he won the silver medal with 213.52 points to soothe his disappointment, and at the World Championships in March last year, he ranked 7th.
There were also difficulties at the beginning of this season. In the 1st and 3rd competitions of the 2022-2023 ISU Senior Grand Prix, she stayed in 4th place, unfortunately missing the medal.
Lee Hae-in was not disappointed. In order to find the most suitable composition, the composition of the jump was changed and supplemented, and it borne fruit at the Four Continents Championships.
When he was told, “You seem to have a great spirit,” Lee Hae-in said, “I was able to come this far because there were people who helped me. “It’s an honor to participate in the Olympics, but it’s not all about the Olympics,” he said.
He added, “This season was also a bit difficult at the beginning, but I think this moment came because I did not give up and worked hard until the end.”
Lee Hae-in, who tried the triple axel at the Nepela Memorial in the ISU Challenger Series in October of last year and later excluded it from the program, said, “Changing the jump configuration was a big help to me. thought,” he explained.
Lee Hae-in said, “I have to do everything I can to have a chance to win a medal. I will prepare harder than this time and show everything I can do at the World Championships. I hope I can wait for a medal later.”