고국 대한민국의 딸 Kim Yu-na가 정말로 은반의 여왕이 되는 순간을 보는 나는 어쩌면 Lucky guy인지도 모르겠다. 3시간이 넘게 수많은 선수들이 출전하여 묘기를 연출하면서,특히 3바퀴를 도는 고난도의 공중회전후 사뿐히 내려 앉는 순간들을 보고, 또 반대로 실수하여 엉덩방아를 찔때의 안타까운 순간을 TV를 통해 보면서, 그때마다, 세계의 모든 미디어와 시청자들이 주시하고 있는 Yu-na의 차례가 되여 묘기를 보여 줄때는 그러한 실수가 없어야 할텐데..... 하면서 나도 모르게 가슴이 조여오는 느낌을 받곤 했었다. 유수한 많은 선수들이 오직 오늘 이순간을 위해 고행의 긴시간을 매진해온 노력과 그동안 땀을 흘려 가면서 쌓아온 묘기를 제대로 발휘 하지 못하는 어처구니 없는 실수로 평가를 제대로 받지 못할때는, 내가 마치 당사자인것 처럼 속이 상하는 아픈 마음이 계속 이어졌었다. 어떤 선수는 20대 후반인것을 알았을때는 앞으로의 우승확율이 slim하여 더 안타까웠고, 아직 10대 후반의 소녀였을때는 그래도 다음기회를 기다릴수 있을수 있다는, 내나름데로의 판단과 위로를 말없이 그들에게 보내곤 했었다. Yu-na의 차례가 되여 그가 Rink에 등단하자마자 환호와 박수가 터져 나올때는 궨히 내가 더 떨리는 마음이 앞서는 초조감이 일었는데, 본인의 긴장감은 얼마나 그녀를 짖누를까?의 안타까움이 계속되였다. 그녀의 멋진 묘기가 시작되자, 캐나다의 올림픽 중계 독점TV방송사 CTV의 앵커의 맨트를 들은후 부터는 조금 마음의 여유가 생겼다. 그내용은 올림픽 피겨 스케이팅 현지 중계를 여러번 해 왔지만, Yu-na의 묘기는 일찌기 보지 못했던 가장 위대한 연출이다 라고. 고난도의 공중회전, 끈이지 않고 유연하게 이어지는 묘기....
그녀의 Performance가 끝난후 앵커는 138점 이상만 받으면 Gold Medal은 Yu-na것이라고 단언하다시피한 맨트를 거침없이 했다.
Yu-na는 거의 flawless로, 심판들은 앵커의 예상을 깨고 그보다 훨씬 많은 150점 이상을 주었다.
다음으로 그녀의 최대 라이벌인 Mao Asada가 등단하여 묘기를 보여 주는데, 그녀 역시 멋지게 잘해냈다. 앵커의 조금전 맨트가 빗나가는것 아닐까? 할정도로 말이다. 그러나 고난도의 고공회전에서, 그녀도 긴장감 때문인지 내가 보기에도 약간 흔들리는 것을 목격할수 있었다.
Yu-na에게 사용했던 'Greatest' 라는 단어를 그녀에게는 사용하지 않은것을 보면서.... 아 금매달은 정말로 정해 졌구나 라고 확신했었다.
곧이어 등장한 캐나다, 나의 제2조국,출신의 Joannie Rochette의 묘기 역시 훌륭했다. 고난도의 공중회전에서, 그녀역시 약간의 흔들림이 있었으나, 아주 잘 처리해 냈다. 그녀는 어쩌면 그녀의 인생중에서 가장 참아내기 힘든 마음의 아픔을 가슴에 안고 출전 하고 있기에, 다른 선수들과는 또 다르게 관중들로 부터 응원의 박수를 받기도 했다. 그녀가 어떤 매달이든 상관없이 수상하는 기쁨을 누리기를 기원하기도 했었다. 역경속에서 보여준 그녀의 묘기에 나는 박수를 많이 보냈다. 그녀의 고향 Quebec의 한동네에서는 마을 회관에 주민들이 모여 함께 생중계를 보면서 그녀를 응원하는 장면을 TV가 생중계 해 주는 배려도 보여 주었다. 그들역시 내가 느낀것 이상으로 그녀에게 강한 의지를 갖고 끝까지 매진 하라는 응원을, 박수로 또는 캐나다기를 흔들면서 보여 주었다. 인간의 마음은 결국 다 한마음인것을 봤다.
이보다 훨씬 먼저 출전한 고국의 나이어린 16세 소녀의 묘기도 대단했다. 귀엽게 생긴데다 처음 국제 무대에 등단한 선수로서의 그의 묘기는 앞날에 대한 희망을 보여주고도 남았다. 장한 대한의 딸들. 시상대 양쪽에 은매달 수상자 Mao와 동매달 수상자 Joannie 이 올라섰고, 그가운데 높은곳에 우뚝올라 서서 IOC 위원이 수상하는 금매달을 목에 걸어 줄때는, 그녀가 자랑스럽기도 했지만, 그만큼 국제 무대에서 커진 조국이 자랑스럽게 느껴졌다. 양쪽에 일본기, 캐나다국기가 걸리고 그가운데 한단계 높게 태극기가 걸리고 계양되는 순간에 '애국가'가 연주 될때는, 떠나온 조국이지만, 한국인의 피가 내 몸속에 흐르고 있음이 자랑스러웠다. 이민자로서의 못다이룬 나의 꿈을, 그녀가 이 늦은밤에 말끔히 해결해 준 기분이다. 그녀의 앞날에 좋은 일만 있기를 응원 한다.
여기에 시상식이 끝난후 CNN, NY Times, 동아일보, Latimes, Toronto Star의 Yu-na가 중심이 된 Figure Skating에 대한 기사 내용을 옮겨 봤다.
Kim Yuna coasts to gold medal in women's figure skating(LA Times)
February 25, 2010 | 8:59 pm
Kim Yuna got the big victory in her back-and-forth rivalry with Mao Asada of Japan.
Yuna scored a staggering 150.06 points in the free program Thursday night and coasted to a gold medal in women's figure skating with a total of 228.56 points.
Asada won the silver with a score of 205.50 points.
Crowd favorite Joannie Rochette of Canada won the bronze with 202.64 points.
U.S. skaters Mirai Nagasu and Rachael Flatt finished fourth and seventh, respectively.
But all the talk was of Kim and Asada.
“Having these two women fairly close and skating well and creating this rivalry that's been there in the past ... it's just good for the audience,” Brian Orser, Kim's coach, said. “It will keep everybody on the edge of their seats. It's exciting, and it's exciting for Yuna.”
김연아,역대 최고점 금메달(동아일보)
입력 | 2010-02-26 13:22:15
김연아, 세계신기록 경신
'피겨퀸' 김연아(20.고려대)가 2010 밴쿠버 동계올림픽 피겨 여자 싱글에서 한국인으로는 사상 최초로 금메달을 목에 걸었다.
김 연아는 26일(한국시간) 캐나다 밴쿠버 퍼시픽 콜리세움에서 치러진 대회 여자싱글 프리스케이팅에서 150.06점을 얻어 쇼트프로그램 점수(78.50점)를 합쳐 총점 228.56점을 받아, '동갑 라이벌' 아사다 마오(일본205.50점)를 23.06점 차로 제치고 우승했다.
김연아와 '금메달 경쟁'을 펼칠 것으로 기대를 모았던 아사다는 큰 점수 차로 은메달에 머물렀고, 어머니를 잃은 충격을 딛고 연기를 펼친 조애니 로셰트(캐나다)가 202.64점으로 감격스런 동메달을 목에 걸었다.
이 로써 김연아는 한국인 사상 최초로 동계올림픽 피겨스케이팅에서 금메달을 따낸 주인공이 됐다.
1968년 그르노블 동계올림픽 피겨스케이팅에 이광영(남자)과 김혜경, 이현주(이상 여자)가 처음 출전한 지 42년 만에 달성한 쾌거다.
이 날 김연아가 프리스케이팅에서 받은 150.06점은 자신이 지난 10월 프랑스 파리에서 열린 2009-2010 국제빙상경기연맹(ISU) 그랑프리 1차 대회에서 기록한 역대 최고점(133.95점) 무려 16.11점이나 뛰어넘은 놀라운 기록이다.
총점 역시 자신이 같은 대회에서 기록한 역대 여자 싱글 최고점(210.03점)을 넘어선 새로운 기록이며, 신채점제(뉴저지시스템) 도입 이후 여자 선수로는 사상 처음으로 220점을 넘겼다.
24일 쇼트프로그램에서도 역대 최고점 기록을 경신한 김연아는 올림픽의 중압감을 이겨내고 쇼트프로그램과 프리스케이팅, 총점에서 모두 역대 최고점을 새로 쓰는완벽한 연기를 펼쳤다.
Rochette captures bronze in figure skating(Star)
February 26, 2010
JIM BYERS
VANCOUVER – In an Olympic Games full of magic, Joannie Rochette went one better.
The Canadian skater, whose mother died suddenly earlier this week just after arriving in Vancouver to watch her daughter skate at the Olympics, picked up a bronze medal Thursday in women’s figure skating.
Rochette had a couple stumbles but nothing serious, and finished in a solid third position with her father, Normand, watching from the stands.
She was in third with one skater to go, American Mirai Nagasu.
Nagasu came into the free skate in sixth place but had a fabulous routine and made things interesting before finishing fourth.
Rochette is the first Canadian woman to win a figure skating medal since 1988 in Calgary.
It was the second medal of the day for Canada, following the gold medal win by the Canadian women’s hockey team.
Rochette’s bronze medal gives Canada 17 medals for the games; eight gold, six silver and three bronze.
Korea’s Kim Yu-Na skated brilliantly and won gold, while Japanese skater Mao Asada captured the silver.
Rochette kept her emotions in check during her routine but the crowd ate it up, lavishing the Canadian with thunderous applause after what was a tragic week.
February 25, 2010, 8:10 PM
Live Blog: Kim Yu-na Triumphant in Long Program
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Chang W. Lee/The New York Times
Kim Yu-Na of South Korea
Todd Eldredge, the three-time Olympian, provides analysis from his home in Florida, and the Times reporter John Branch is sending updates from Vancouver. Joanne C. Gerstner and Lynn Zinser contributed insight as well.
12:04 A.M. Amazing Overall Competition
Honestly, what I will remember most about this competition is that every single woman in the final group skated the best she could have skated. They all skated fantastic, and to do that in the Olympic Games is so difficult. To have so many great performance made the event so exciting.
It was awesome to see Kim Yu-na perform so well under all that pressure, to win her country’s first figure skating gold medal, that was cool to watch. She was already a rock star in South Korea and she will be even more so now.
Doug Mills/The New York Times
Joannie Rochette of Canada
Joannie Rochette, she’s going to be beloved in her country more that people can even imagine. She had that Olympic experience of winning a medal but she also lived out her personal life, the death of her mother, in front of everyone and with everyone. That’s just really cool for her. I’m so happy for her. – Todd Eldredge
11:59 P.M. Nagasu Shows So Much Promise
That was awesome for Mirai Nagasu. That was so much fun to watch. She’s so cute, has a great personality. For her to get fourth place in her first Olympics, that shows what a great future the Americans have for 2014.
That was a hard place for her to skate, following Joannie Rochette and her performance and all the emotion. She did so well in that difficult situation. It is so good for her. – Todd Eldredge
11:51 P.M. Great Games for Carroll
Gotta love Frank Carroll, the 71-year-old Yoda of American figure skating coaches. He knew exactly what to say to Mirai Nagasu. She looked tense before her skate, so he told her to smile. She did, relaxed, and skated well. After Nagasu skated to a fourth place finish, he smiled at her, said “Wow!” and made sure she enjoyed the scene. Not a bad Olympics for Carroll. He has his first gold medalist in Evan Lysacek, and now a very strong placing by the rising star Nagasu. - Joanne C. Gerstner
11:40 P.M. A Most Deserved Medal
Joannie Rochette had a couple little bobbles, but they were minor. In my opinion, she should definitely be on the podium. Considering the circumstances with her mom dying, her performance is even more amazing. After all she’s been through the past few days, to pull herself together like that is incredible, something everyone will remember.
Remember, she had a really tough season with some ups and downs, so to come away with a bronze medal from the Olympics would be incredible, then even more so with the what happened here.
I don’t envy Mirai Nagasu having to go after that. – Todd Eldredge
11:40 P.M. Rochette Stays Composed
Joannie Rochette of Canada looks a little more even-keeled tonight, not suffering the surge of grief that was so touching after her short program Tuesday. She skated OK, having a few issues on her jump landings. But the main thing is, she made it. She found a way to compartmentalize her grief over the fresh loss of her mom Sunday, and she skated her heart out. - Joanne C. Gerstner
11:34 P.M. Asada Starts Strong, Falters
Mao Asada started off really strong. She was fantastic on those two triple axels. That’s what the guys do. She had a couple little problems. Her triple flip should definitely be downgraded and she had a mistake going into the triple toe, catching her edge. Little mistakes add up fast.
Clearly she’s hoping to hold on for silver. It’s all up to how Joannie Rochette skates because she could take the silver away. – Todd Eldredge
11:27 P.M. Kim Thrives Under Pressure
Doug Mills/The New York Times
Kim Yu-Na of South Korea
I can’t even imagine the pressure Kim Yu-na was under and that performance was amazing. Given the circumstances, given all the pressure, that was the best. She made everything look easy and effortless and solid. That was cool to watch.
She has all the moves, wonderful footwork and steps between the elements. She has it all. That is going to put so much pressure on Mao Asada and everyone after her. 150 points, that’s huge. I think I can tell you that’s your Olympic champion right there. It’s like a golf tournament and she finished 12 under par and everyone else has two holes to go and is 7 under par. You won’t catch her. – Todd Eldredge
11:27 P.M. That’s a Wow
NBC’s Sandra Bezic called Kim Yu-na’s stellar long program, “One of the greatest Olympic performances I have ever seen”. And the kicker was Yu-na’s skate wasn’t done yet. - Joanne C. Gerstner
Kim Yu-Na breezes to gold(CNN)
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - Kim Yu-na put one hand to her mouth and let the tears flow.
All that pressure, so many expectations. The "Queen" took it all on and delivered royally.
The South Korean won the Olympic gold medal Thursday night, soaring to a world-record 228.56 points and shattering her previous mark by more than 18 points. It may go down as one of the greatest performances in figure skating history, and it's sure to set off wild celebrations from Seoul to Pyongchang. It's South Korea's first medal at the Winter Olympics in a sport other than speedskating.
Even Kim seemed to be dazzled by the show she put on, gasping when she saw the monstrous score. Coach Brian Orser gave a Rocky-like victory pump, shaking his clasped fists over each shoulder.
Longtime rival Mao Asada of Japan won the silver medal, but it was no contest -- even with Asada landing both her triple axels, one in combination with a double toe loop. Joannie Rochette, skating four days after the sudden death of her mother, won the bronze, giving Canada its first women's medal since Liz Manley's silver in 1988.
The Americans, meanwhile, are going home without at least one medal for only the second time since 1952. The other time? 1964, three years after a plane crash wiped out the entire U.S. team on its way to the world championships.
Mirai Nagasu was fourth while U.S. champion Rachael Flatt dropped to seventh.
Kim came in bearing almost incomprehensible pressure. Not only was the reigning world champ the biggest favorite since Katarina Witt in 1988 -- she's lost just one competition over the last two seasons -- she carried the weight of an entire nation on her slim shoulders.
The most popular athlete in South Korea, she's been dubbed "Queen Yu-na" -- check out the sparkly crowns that twinkle in her ears -- and she needs bodyguards whenever she returns home from her training base in Toronto. Anything she does creates a frenzy, and even a simple practice draws a rinkful of photographers.
Kim seemed to shrug it all off earlier this week, saying after the short program that it felt like any other competition. But it was clear Thursday that it meant so much more.
There were simply no flaws in her performance, from her skating to her expressions to that lovely cobalt blue dress. While other skaters slow down as they approach their jumps to steady themselves, she hurtles into them at full speed yet touches down with pillow-like softness. Her connecting steps are like art on ice, and her edge quality is so fine there is not even the slightest hint of a harsh scrape, just the sound of her crisp edge. Her spins are centered so perfectly the tracings look as if they were made with a protractor.
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