Kim Yuna: "There is a 'Sports Spirit' Everyone Can Relate To"…Mentions Beijing Biased Judging Controversy

"2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games, a Competition to Experience the Spirit of Sports"

Yuna Kim appeared on SBS's "Jooyoungjin's News Briefing" on the 23rd and shared her thoughts on the controversy over "biased judging" at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Photo by SBS "Jooyoungjin's News Briefing" capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Former figure skater Kim Yuna, appointed as the ambassador for the '2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games,' spoke about the biased judging controversy at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

On the 23rd, Kim Yuna appeared on SBS's 'Jooyoungjin's News Briefing' and said, "Athletes who play sports and everyone who loves sports know and believe in the spirit of sports. (The spirit of sports) can be felt and empathized with by both the athletes and the spectators." She also expressed her hope that the '2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games' would become a competition where the spirit of sports can be truly experienced.

Regarding the '2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games,' Kim Yuna explained, "It is a global event organized by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) for youth athletes, and the Winter Youth Olympic Games started in 2012 in Innsbruck, Austria." She added, "The difference from the adult Olympics is that since young athletes participate, while competition is important, harmony among participants, cultural and educational programs, and such activities are emphasized more."

Kim Yuna also revealed how she started figure skating. She said, "I initially started as a hobby. I was just having fun with my older sister during a vacation special class, when a coach suggested that I had exceptional talent and asked if I would consider becoming an athlete. From then on, I began my path as an athlete. I was seven years old by Korean age."

She continued, "I started so young that I didn’t know how hard it was and just enjoyed skating. As I grew older, during my growth period, I faced many psychological and physical difficulties. I wondered, 'Why did I start this and have to live so hard?' My condition fluctuated, and I had many injuries. This repeated over and over. I trained every day while crying," she said. "The athletes participating in this Youth Olympic Games are probably at that stage. I often think about what kind of mindset I would have had if there had been a Youth Olympic Games when I was young."

Kim Yuna also evaluated the junior athletes, saying they seem to be maintaining good skills. She said, "I was worried that it would be difficult to achieve good results compared to athletes from strong countries. Since they had to train abroad but were confined to domestic training due to COVID-19, their training environment was probably not ideal." She added, "It’s not easy to confidently showcase everything you can do in a big competition, but I realize now that I was worrying unnecessarily."