Can Yu-na repeat golden success?

Kim Yu-na’s announcement of a return to competitive skating after a nearly two-year hiatus has raised question of how she will fare this time around.

However, experts say that the 21-year-old reigning Olympic champion is still capable of competing at the top level despite the time off.

Kim said Monday that she will call it quits after the 2014 Sochi Games in Russia.

“I could often check Kim’s physical condition through her ice shows and found she was still in good shape,” said Koh Sung-hee, competition director of the Korea Skating Union.

While sitting out for two years, Kim only participated in the World Championships in 2010 and 2011, where she finished second on both occasions, but she has hosted an ice show annually and performed there.

“If Kim maps out a plan for the 2014 Olympics as soon as possible, she will be able to return to form to enable her to skate there.”

Kim Hye-kyung, an international figure skating judge, is also positive about her finding her rhythm.

“Kim is skilled and well experienced, so I expect her to regain her form soon,” she was quoted as saying in a recent media interview.

Ryu Jong-hyeon, her former coach, said that Kim has trained privately for four hours a day and has a good command of various jumps.

In Monday’s press conference, Kim, who set a world record of 228.56 points, 23.06 ahead of runner-up Mao Asada of Japan on her way to the Olympic gold in Vancouver, said that she may not be able to match her 2010 performance and the result will not be her main focus in Sochi,.

However, Koh said that an Olympic title defense is not out of the question.

“High expectations for a repeat in Sochi are most uncomfortable for Kim to deal with,” she said.

“However, there are currently only a few competitive skaters on the women’s side who can outclass Kim, so it is possible for her to win gold if she maintains her physical condition.”

At the World Championships earlier this year, Italy’s Carolina Kostner triumphed with 189.94 points, the highest mark for the 2011-2012 season.

The International Skating Union allocates Olympic slots to countries depending on the placement of their skaters at the previous year’s World Championships. There are three places given for the winner’s nation and runner-up, two for the top-10 finishers and one for those who make the top 24. <The Korea Times/Kang Seung-woo>

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