| The Dong-A Ilbo yesterday talked to the coach of Olympic figure skating gold medalist Kim Yu-na, Brian Orser, two hours before the closing ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
At the time, the Olympic ice hockey final between Canada and the U.S. was on but Orser could not see the end of the match. “I couldn’t see the end of the match because of this interview. I didn’t think the final would go into overtime, but I’m glad I saw the winning goal.”
“As a Canadian, I’m glad Canada won the gold medal in ice hockey, the final competition of the Olympics, but not as much as when Yu-na won her medal.”
Orser won the Olympic silver medal in figure skating in 1984 and 1988. Though failing to win the gold, he channeled his energy to get Kim to do what he could not. With a smile, he said, “I was finally able to let go of any hard feelings for the Olympics after she won her gold medal.”
Orser came into Kim’s life in 2006. With great affection for his disciple, he said, “I’d say this is the happiest moment out of the four years I’ve spent with Kim. The worst was when Yu-na struggled with injury between 2006 and 2007.”
Kim broke her own world record with a combined 228.56 points in the women’s figure skating competition in Vancouver. Nevertheless, Orser seems to want more. “If she wants to raise her score, she needs a triple axel. Though she is an Olympic champion now, she has room for further improvement,” he said.
He also mentioned the conditions needed for doing a triple axel. “If she’s free from any pain in her ankles, knees and hips, she can practice with time. I really want to see her do a triple axel.”
Kim did not attempt a triple axel either in practice or in competition this season. “For now, the triple jump is the most important technique, but I believe Yu-na could easily learn the triple axel,” Orser said.
The coach also wants Kim to repeat her success at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. “First, she needs to defend her title at the world championships. She should then prepare for next season after taking a rest. I’m not sure what’s in for Yu-na after that,” he said.
“I believe she will face no issues with physical resilience until 2014, when she’ll be just 24 years old. Everything will depend on how she sees herself.”
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