Japan's Asada has sudden, deep fall on Olympic ice

The triple axel has been Mao Asada's trademark. It also has been her curse. On Wednesday at the Sochi Olympics, the Japanese star fell on the 3{-revolution jump, and it ruined the rest of her short program. The result was a 16th-place finish, destroying any medals chance for the two-time world champion and silver medalist at the Vancouver Games. The only woman to regularly use the triple axel, Asada opens her 2-minute, 50-second routine with it. Nail it and the scoreboard lights up. Miss it and,

Feb. 20, 2014

Figure skater Kim Yu-na on verge of history

Kim Yu-na is on the verge of making figure skating history on Thursday, as she takes a tiny lead into the free skating portion of the ladies' singles competition.Kim scored 74.92 points in Wednesday's short program and leads Adelina Sotnikova of Russia by 0.28 point.In what will be her last Olympics, the South Korean is trying to become just the third woman to win consecutive gold medals in the ladies' singles.Kim later admitted to dealing with nerves before her turn but didn't look the part on

Feb. 20, 2014

Figure skater Kim Yu-na leads after short program

South Korean figure skater Kim Yu-na took the lead after a dazzling short program in the ladies' singles competition at the Sochi Winter Games on Wednesday.The reigning Olympic champion scored 74.92 points to shoot to the top of the standings at Iceberg Skating Palace. It's the highest short program score by any female skater this season.Adelina Sotnikova of Russia finished in second place with 74.64 points, followed by Carolina Kostner of Italy at 74.12 points. The free skate is on Thursday.Kim

Feb. 20, 2014

Speed skater Lee Seung-hoon finishes fourth in men's 10,000 meters

South Korean speed skater Lee Seung-hoon finished fourth in the men's 10,000 meters on Tuesday at the Sochi Winter Games, falling short of defending his Olympic gold in the distance.Lee clocked at 13:11.68 in the 25-lap race at Adler Arena Skating Center, more than 27 seconds behind the champion, Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands.The Dutch skater set an Olympic record time of 12:44.45, shattering Lee's previous mark, set in Vancouver, by more than 14 seconds. He led the fourth Dutch sweep of the

Feb. 19, 2014

Figure skater Kim Yu-na 'can't wait' for competition to start

On the eve of the start of her Olympic title defense in the ladies' singles figure skating, South Korean star Kim Yu-na said she could hardly wait to get on the ice."I've prepared hard and I can't wait for the day of the competition to arrive," Kim told reporters after completing her practice at Iceberg Skating Palace, where the ladies' short program is scheduled to open on Wednesday. It will be followed by the free skating on Thursday."I think my preparation has been perfect," Kim said. "But fi

Feb. 18, 2014

Korea wins gold in women's short track relay

With a breathtaking finish, South Korea captured the gold medal in the women's 3,000-meter relay short track at the Sochi Winter Olympics on Tuesday.The team of Cho Ha-ri, Kim A-lang, Park Seung-hi and Shim Suk-hee claimed South Korea's first short track gold medal in Sochi, and its second gold overall. They finished the 27-lap race in 4:09.498.Canada took the silver in 4:10.641 and Italy earned the bronze in 4:14.014. China finished the relay in second place but received a penalty for interfere

Feb. 18, 2014

Davis, White of U.S. win ice dance

SOCHI, Russia (AP) ― Through 17 years of grueling practices, of defeats and victories, Meryl Davis and Charlie White insist they’ve never considered parting ways.A perfect pairing, they were nearly flawless at the Sochi Olympics, and on Monday they became the first Americans to win an ice dance gold medal.“The closest we came to breaking up, I can’t pinpoint one because there hasn’t been one,” Davis, 27, said. “Certainly there have been struggles. It hasn’t been easy to get where we are. ... It’

Feb. 18, 2014

Korea chasing first short track gold in Sochi in women's relay

South Korea is the only nation to have won at least one short track gold medal at every Winter Olympics, and the women's 3,000ｍ relay team will try to keep that streak alive on Tuesday.South Korea leads all nations with 19 gold medals in short track since it became a medal sport in 1992, but has not captured one so far in Sochi. Shim Suk-hee won the silver in the women's 1,500ｍ and Park Seung-hi bagged the bronze in the women's 500ｍ, while the men have been shut out of medals so far.South Korea

Feb. 18, 2014

Queen Yu-na out to steal the show for final time

If there were a Purple Heart medal for athletes, figure skating Olympic gold medalist Kim Yu-na would surely receive one.This is not only due to her contribution to the sport, but also the scars she has accumulated over the years. “The ‘fitness age’ of her right foot -- the foot she finishes her jumps with -- is in its 40s,” Na Young-moo, the head of Sports Orthopedics Rehabilitation for Life Hospital and also Kim’s physician for the past four years, told the local press last week. Having to rep

Feb. 17, 2014

‘I am not going back to Korea’: Viktor Ahn

  Viktor Ahn of Russia, whose Korean name is Ahn Hyun-soo, won the gold medal in men’s 1,000 meters short-track speed skating at the Sochi Olympics on Saturday. His gold for Russia is thrilling the Olympic host nation, while heightening Korean fans’ interest in his next move after the winter sports festival.　“I am so pleased and it is like a dream that I have reclaimed a medal after eight years,” Ahn told the press conference shortly after acquiring the first gold in the sport for his adopted co

Feb. 17, 2014

Viktor Ahn’s father vents painful feelings

When Russia’s Viktor Ahn won gold in men’s 1,000-meter short-track skating, outshining his former teammate Sin Da-woon of Korea on the ice on Saturday night, his father had mixed feelings about his victory.　“It is painful that Ahn is sharing his joy with Russians, not Koreans,” Ahn Gi-won told the Korean news agency Yonhap. 　The mostly Russian crowd at Iceberg Skating Palace erupted in celebration as Ahn crossed the finish line. The gold medalist waved the Russian flag on his victory lab and san

Feb. 17, 2014

Day of hope, disappointment for S. Korea in Sochi

It was a day mixed with hope and disappointment for South Korea at the Sochi Winter Olympics, as female curlers vowed to work harder for a better future, and the men's bobsleigh teams took an important step forward.South Korea didn't add to its medal tally on Sunday, however, and remains at one gold, one silver and one bronze medal, good for 17th place.The women's curling team faces elimination from its first Olympic tournament, after losing to Denmark 7-3. The defeat dropped South Korea's recor

Feb. 17, 2014