To compete in a major event and get on to the podium on home ice is something special for every athlete. It was even more special for Korea’s Young You at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Seoul as she became the first Korean figure skater to win a medal at an ISU Championship since the legendary Olympic Champion Yuna Kim was ISU World Figure Skating Champion in 2013. It was also You’s debut at an ISU senior-level Championship.
Young You (KOR) Rikia Kihira (JPN) Bradie Tennell (USA) at the ISU Four Continents FIgure Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
You’s performances were a highlight at the Championships. She placed third in the Short Program, where she stepped out of her triple Axel, but she made no further mistake. You then moved up one spot with an excellent Free Skating to “Evita” that featured a beautiful triple Axel and six clean triples. The Korean Champion set new personal best scores in the Free Skating with 149.68 points and total score with 223.23 points. The icing on the cake was for her when her idol Yuna Kim handed out the gifts at the awards ceremony. You started skating after watching Kim on TV.
Young You (KOR) at the ISU Four Continents FIgure Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
“I was very happy to do the triple Axel and then there was no mistake in my jumps. I focused on a clean performance. Especially since this event was held in Korea I had a little pressure,” You said at the press conference. “I’m the first Korean skater to have a medal after Yuna Kim and I feel very honored to be the first skater since her to have a medal in my country at Four Continents. It was a surprise that she (Kim) gave the dolls at the medal ceremony and I am very happy that my role model awarded me the doll. It is very significant for me,” said You, who splits her training time between Japan and the USA.