Kim Yelim breezed by means of a near-flawless quick program to construct the slimmest of leads over 15-year-old American rival Isabeau Levito on Thursday night time on the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The 20-year-old from South Korea, performing to the moody piano piece “Mercy,” was fluid by means of a gap triple lutz-triple toe loop earlier than touchdown a double axel and triple flip. When her rating of 72.84 factors was learn inside Broadmoor World Arena, Kim first expressed shock, then clapped her arms and pumped her fists in delight.
It was a powerful bounce-back efficiency for Kim, who struggled to a sixth place end on the Grand Prix Final.
“I used to be so, so nervous earlier than,” Kim stated, “however I did an virtually clear program and I’m completely happy about that.”
WATCH | Kim sits 1st after girls’s quick program:
Kim Ye-lim sits in 1st place after girls’s quick program at Four Continents
South Korea’s Kim Ye-lim leads the ladies’s occasion on the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships with a rating of 72.84 within the quick program.
Levito was second with 71.50 factors, and he or she would have been inside some extent of the lead if not for some extent deduction for a time violation. South Korea’s Chaeyeon Kim was third, adopted by Americans Amber Glenn and Bradie Tennell.
Oakville, Ont., native Madeline Schizas was ninth as the highest Canadian with 60.11 factors, whereas fellow Canadians Sara-Maude Dupuis (51.68) and Justine Miclette (51.24) sit twelfth and thirteenth, respectively.
The competitors between non-European nations continues later Thursday night time with the lads’s quick program.
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Levito, the brand new U.S. champion, has been a revelation in her first season of senior competitors, ending no worse than second anyplace she’s been, together with a silver medal on the Grand Prix Final. Her efficiency to music by the Israeli singer-songwriter Yasmin Levy on Thursday night time was virtually balletic, with its straightforward opening triple flip, a double axel and a triple lutz-triple toe loop. The solely mistake got here in working over time, one thing Levito has been docked for up to now.
Levito declined to remark after her efficiency.
Glenn and Tennell have been upbeat about their quick packages, which have them inside vary of the rostrum. Glenn specifically was completely happy when, regardless of placing her hand down on her triple loop, she nonetheless scored 69.63 factors.
“That’s nice!” she stated within the kiss-and-cry space. “OK!”
WATCH | Women’s quick program at Four Continents Figure Skating Championships:
ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships: Women’s quick program
Watch the ladies’s quick program on the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Tennell has been on the comeback from an ankle harm that sidelined her many of the season. She was second to Levito at nationals, although, and the previous Four Continents bronze medalist was happy together with her displaying Thursday night time.
“I have not competed at Four Continents since 2020,” she stated, “so coming again right here and it being in my residence nation is admittedly thrilling for me. My focus is to skate extra relaxed and with extra freedom in my lengthy program. I’m so grateful to be right here and carry out. The arduous a part of this journey was getting again to this stage. The previous yr was tough. I did not begin getting again into coaching till August. So to come back right here and put out a program like that, I’m actually happy with myself.”
