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Kim's Paris win makes her Olympic gold favorite
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Kim Yu Na established a big lead in her short program
Less than a year ago, many skating observers figured Korea's Kim Yu-Na and Japan's Mao Asada would be duking it out for 2010 Olympic gold.
Kim had jumps, speed and grace. Asada had her rare triple axels. Both 19, their rivalry stretched back to juniors. They were an early, intriguing story line for Vancouver, where for once in a long time, no Americans are considered medal contenders.
But with this weekend's dazzling performance, this time at the season-opening Grand Prix event in Paris, Kim hasn't just moved ahead in this singular duel.
She's lapping the field.
At Trophee Eric Bompard, Kim first jumped to a huge lead -- almost 17 points -- in a creative, nearly flawless short program, set to a medley of theme songs from James Bond movies. The music, a departure from the usual classical fare, brought a glimpse of Kim's showmanship. Check out the playful pistol gestures at the end. It's a peek into Kim's personality that she has often shown in exhibitions, but not in competition.
That's a quality that could make Kim not only a skating star -- she's a huge celebrity in her native Korea -- but the worldwide face of the sport in the mold of Michelle Kwan.
Kim's got the hops. After Saturday's free skate, she broke her own total points record, scoring 210.03. Not only did it beat the nearest competitor, Asada, by more than 36 points, it broke the mark of 207.71 Kim set while winning the 2009 world championship in Los Angeles.
Kim managed to score 133.95 points on her free skate despite skipping an entire jump, the triple flip, in the final.
Paris marked the third-straight major international competition (after 2009 Four Continents and 2009 worlds) that Kim has not only beaten Asada, but has won decisively against the best the world has to offer.
You think Sasha Cohen was happy to have not made the trip? Nothing like staying out of the way of a speeding train.
To be fair, Cohen, a late scratch from Paris due to a calf injury, has not skated in competition in more than two years. Since announcing her comeback in May, she now has a little less than a month left to get ready for Kim and the bright lights. Cohen is entered in Skate America, the U.S. Grand Prix event, in Lake Placid, N.Y. Nov. 12-15.
Kim hasn't lost much in the off-season. Coached by Canadian star Brian Orser and training in Toronto, Kim won Four Continents by nearly nine points at the Olympic venue in Vancouver in February. Canada's Joannie Rochette was second, Asada third. At the world championships in March, Kim won by more than 16 points over Rochette and bronze-medalist Miki Ando.
Forget first-event jitters and early season rustiness, or working out the kinks in a new program. Kim is picking up right where she left off.
For those hoping to challenge her for Olympic gold in February, that's got to be an intimidating place for Kim to be.
For more, read Examiner Jackie Wong's take on Trophee Eric Bompard.
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