South Korean world champion Kim Yu-na drew first blood in the Asian glamor battle for Olympic Games figure skating gold on Tuesday as Canada restored its battered hockey pride and celebrated a new national heroine.
Kim scored 78.50 points — a new world mark — skating to a James Bond theme while fellow 19-year-old Mao Asada of Japan, the only woman to have defeated her in the last two years, finished the short program in second spot, 4.72 points behind.
“Mao skated perfectly,” said Kim, who followed her great rival onto the ice at the Pacific Coliseum. “I was a little worried but there was no pressure.”
Former world champion Asada said: “This is the best short program I have skated this year. I am feeling really good. I will try to stay calm and do my best in the free skating final on Thursday.”
While the 11,700-strong crowd was enchanted by the two Asian stars, they were deeply moved when grieving Canadian skater Joannie Rochette broke down in tears after finishing her program, just two days after her mother’s death from a heart attack.
“It was hard to handle, but I appreciate the support,” said a sobbing Rochette after finishing her routine that earned her 71.36 points and third place.
PHOTO: REUTERS
After their bitter disappointment at losing to arch-rivals the US, Canada’s star-studded hockey team took their frustration out on Germany in a 8-2 rout.
It put them through to a quarter-final against mighty Russia, while Switzerland reached a last eight clash with the US after defeating Belarus 3-2.
“It’s something everybody has been talking about since before the Olympics,” said Canada star Sidney Crosby, who will face Russian playmaker Alex Ovechkin. “It’s a quarter-final. We’ve got a tough game. It’s going to be intense.”
In the remaining two play-offs for quarter-final spots, the Czech Republic beat Latvia 3-2 and will face Finland, while Slovakia edged Norway 4-3 and will tackle defending champions Sweden.
Slovakian forward Lubos Bartecko suffered a severe head injury in the game after being struck by Norway’s Ole Kristian Tollefsen.
“You hate to see elbows like that in the face. That one was one of the ugliest I have ever seen,” said Slovakia forward Marian Hossa.
Up in Whistler, Swiss “Iceman” Carlo Janka upstaged Bode Miller to win the giant slalom.
The US ski team have dominated the alpine events and reformed skiing bad boy Miller has been in a rich vein of form, but he crashed out on the first leg to blow his chance of a fourth Vancouver medal.
Janka, the world champion who led after the first leg, made the most of the American’s misfortune to take the title in a combined total of 2 minutes 37.83 seconds.
Norwegian duo Kjetil Jansrud and Aksel Lund Svindal took silver and bronze respectively.
There was bitter disappointment at Richmond Oval, where Sven Kramer was disqualified after coming over the line first in the 10,000m speed skating final.
The Dutchman, who won 5,000m gold last week, was four seconds clear of second placed Korean Lee Seung-hoon but a lane infringement cost him the title.
He blamed his coach Gerard Kemkers.
“I wanted to go on the outer lane then just before the cone Gerard shouted ‘inner lane.’ I thought he’s probably right and went to the inner lane,” he said. “This really sucks.”
Russia’s Olga Medvedtseva and Olga Zaitseva won the women’s relay biathlon gold while Austria clinched the Nordic Combined team competition.
Canada’s Ashleigh McIvor won the first ever women’s ski cross title.
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