Kim Yu-Na, who is training at East West Palace Ice Rink in Los Angeles to prepare for next month's World Championship in Tokyo, conducted an interview with the media for the first time this year, and talked about her new programs and training.
Q: How is your preparation for the World Championship going? Are the programs complete?
YNK: I have been slowly raising my condition through physical training and refining my new programs. There is still sufficient time, so I expect to be completely ready.
Q: It will be your first international competition in a while, and some have voiced concerns over how you will adjust to actual competition. What have you focused on the most in your training?
YNK: I have been focusing on physical training and perfecting the programs. As for not being in actual competition, I feel the same level of nervousness doing ice shows, as I have to perform in front of big crowds. So in terms of being in the competition mode, I am not too worried. Hopefully the result will be good as long as I prepare my best.
Q: Tell us about your daily routine.
YNK: I go to the ice rink in the morning, and after warm-up, have training sessions on ice. After skating, I spend about two hours doing physical training. In the afternoon, I have massage and physical therapy. For the rest of day, I take rest. I also study English three times a week.
Q: How are you getting along with Peter Oppegard? In what specific ways has he helped you?
YNK: It's been over 3 months since I began training with Coach Oppegard. We get along very well, and because there are many peer skaters training together, the atmosphere is very good. Coach Oppegard's training style is very rigorous, but at the same time, he makes great effort to compliment you to help your self-confidence. He conducts very demanding practice sessions, but also never ceases to encourage the skaters. Training can be hard sometimes, but overall, we have a lot of fun with other skaters.
Q: How about your relationship with David Wilson?
YNK: I can't see David as often as in the past, but we chat frequently over telephone and e-mail.
Q: Your free skating program is "Homage to Korea". Tell us about how this selection was made and what is your impression after actually performing it?
YNK: "Homage to Korea" is a compilation of traditional Korean music. The music is Korean, but the artistry is modern, and the difficulty lies in applying it to skating. Rather than performing certain acts that feel Korean, I am focusing on expressing my emotions to the audience.
Q: How was Giselle selected as your short program? Was there any particular episode that led to this?
YNK: No special episode. David Wilson told me that he had this bright idea, and I listened to the music. When I heard it, I liked it so much, I instantly made the decision. I want to express the diverse lines of emotion contained in the music.
Q: Can you tell us more about the components for your short and long programs?
YNK: Technically, there is no big difference from last season. I am focusing on portraying the characters in the programs.
Q: What meaning does this year's World Championship have for you?
YNK: Since I have achieved all that I want to achieve as an athlete, I am not concerned about the result. I am just nervous and excited about performing new programs before the fans. I just hope I can interact well with the audience by portraying the characters well. "Homage to Korea" is very special to me, as it embodies my gratitude to Korean fans who have supported me up to now. I hope many people will like it.
Q: How often do you meet with Michelle Kwan, and receive advice?
YNK: Michelle is studying in Boston, so I don't get to see her often. She comes back to Los Angeles during holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, and when she does, we meet and chat about daily lives, and also skate together.
Q: Did you see Asada Mao's performances this season? What do you think about her sub-par season?
YNK: Post-olympic season is always psychologically difficult for skaters. I think all skaters are going through such time right now.
Q: What is you plan after the World Championship?
YNK: I am just focusing on the World Championship at the moment. Afterwards, I will do an ice show in Korea.
Q: Lot of junior skaters are improving. Is there any particular junior skater that has caught your eyes, and if so, why?
YNK: I have my eyes on Haejin Kim. Despite being young, she is technically very strong. I saw her recent performance through the internet, and her body expressions are very good. I think she is a talented skater who possess both strong technical and artistic abilities.
Q: Where will you be 10 years from now?
YNK: I will be still skating.
No comments:
Post a Comment