1991 Jeong Seong-il's 14th Place Record Broken After 30 Years "Preparing for Beijing Olympics While Taking a Break"
Secured Two Olympic Quota Spots but Awaiting Further Interpretation... Due to Revised ISU Regulations
Cha Jun-hwan (Korea University) became the first Korean male figure skater to finish within the top 10 at the World Figure Skating Championships.
On the 27th (Korean time), at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Figure Skating Championships held at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden, Cha Jun-hwan scored 72.90 points in Technical Element Score (TES), 82.94 points in Program Component Score (PCS), and received a 1-point deduction, totaling 154.84 points in the men's singles free skate. Adding the 91.15 points from the short program the previous day, he achieved a total score of 245.99 points, placing 10th. This surpassed the best-ever Korean male singles result of 14th place by Jung Sung-il in 1991, breaking the 30-year record.
Thanks to Cha Jun-hwan's strong performance, South Korea secured at least one and up to two Olympic quota spots for the men's singles figure skating event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The ISU allocates Olympic quota spots to countries based on their results at the World Championships. Countries with one participant can earn three spots if their skater finishes as runner-up, or two spots if they place between 3rd and 10th. South Korea earned two spots but must await further interpretation.
This is due to the ISU regulation revised in June 2018. Rule 400 A.4-b states, "If an ISU member country has earned the points (sum of placements) required for two or three quota spots but did not have two or three skaters participate in the free skate, that country may enter one skater (excluding those who qualified for the free skate at the World Championships) in an additional qualifying competition (Nebelhorn Trophy)." South Korea had only one male singles skater, Cha Jun-hwan, in this competition. Since only one skater participated in the free skate, South Korea fully secured one of the two quota spots. The remaining spot can be obtained at the Nebelhorn Trophy. The Korea Skating Union stated, "The ISU gave an ambiguous answer saying they need to calculate it first," adding, "For now, we can only say we have secured up to two spots."
On the free skate stage, Cha Jun-hwan performed "The Fire Within." He chose not to push himself by opting for a triple flip instead of the first jump element, a quadruple flip. However, he received an under-rotation call on the second jump element, a quadruple Salchow, resulting in a 1.44-point deduction in Grade of Execution (GOE).
Cha Jun-hwan made up points by cleanly executing a triple Lutz-double toe loop combination jump and performing both the flying camel spin and step sequence at level 4. Although he fell during the triple Axel-double toe loop combination jump, losing 4 GOE points, he completed the subsequent triple flip-single Euler-triple Salchow combination jump cleanly, securing the Olympic quota spot.
Through his agency, he said, "I was very nervous since it was my first international competition in a long time." He added, "Actually, since mid-last month, I have been enduring with painkillers due to back pain and a torn leg muscle," and stated, "I will take sufficient rest after returning home and prepare for the Beijing Olympics."
The championship title went to American Nathan Chen (320.88 points), who showcased five quadruple jumps and achieved his third consecutive World Championship win. Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu, a two-time Olympic champion (2014 Sochi, 2018 PyeongChang), placed third (289.18 points) after repeated jump mistakes. He was surpassed for second place by his junior, Yuma Kagiyama (291.77 points).
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