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Olympic Hopes Rest With Skating Favorite Kim Yu-na

“Women’s figure skating begins at the Vancouver Olympics on Feb. 23, and Kim, the reigning world champion, is expected to win. No skater in decades has entered the Games as such a strong favorite. Since finishing third at the 2008 world championships, Kim has lost only once, breaking scoring records and raising South Korea’s hopes of its first Olympic gold medal in figure skating.

…Kim’s top rival for the gold medal is Mao Asada of Japan, a former world champion who is also 19. They grew up competing against each other, fueling one of the fiercest Japan versus Korea sports rivalries.

…The first Olympic appearances by Kim and Asada will be huge in Asia. That is why Orser is a perfect coach for Kim. He knows how it feels to be in a searing spotlight and to have the hopes of a country hanging on his performance.

…Her short program has sizzled. Skating to a James Bond medley, she plays a sexy, confident Bond girl. Her long program is set to George Gershwin’s Concerto in F, and she performs it with the grace of a prima ballerina.”