South Korean figure skater Kim Chae-yeon (19) solidified her status as South Korea’s top female figure skater, winning the women’s singles title at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, which wrapped up on Feb. 23 at Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul. Kim delivered a career-best performance, earning 78.27 points in technical elements (TES) and 70.09 in program components (PCS) in the free skate for a total of 148.36. Combined with her short program score of 74.02, she achieved a personal best of 222.38, finishing well ahead of the United States' Bradie Tennell (204.38) and Sarah Everhardt (200.03). South Korea’s Lee Hae-in (20) and Yun Ah-sun (18) placed eighth and ninth, respectively.
The Four Continents Championships, one of the most prestigious international competitions outside the World Championships, is open to skaters from Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania, excluding Europe. Kim is only the third South Korean woman to claim the title, following Kim Yu-na in 2009 and Lee Hae-in in 2023. Her victory was all the more significant as it came in front of a home crowd. “I’m happy to have competed in such a major event in front of my home fans,” Kim said. “I was nervous because I wanted to perform well, but I’m honored to have surpassed my personal best and won the gold medal.”
Skating in a costume handmade by her mother, Kim delivered a flawless routine, landing all seven jumps cleanly. With the exception of her choreographic sequence (level 1), she executed four spins at the highest difficulty level, level 4. The crowd erupted in cheers as she completed her program, but Kim remained composed even after seeing her score in the kiss and cry area. “I had a cramp in my left calf toward the end of my performance, so I was in pain,” she said with a smile. “I was thrilled, but I just couldn’t show it on my face.”
Just 10 days after winning gold at the Winter Asian Games in Harbin, China, Kim secured another major title, solidifying her status as the top contender in South Korean women’s figure skating. Initially overshadowed by peers such as Lee Hae-in and You Young (21), Kim has now emerged as the leading force in the sport. “These two competitions have given me confidence,” she said. “I feel like my efforts are finally being recognized.”
Kim now turns her focus to the World Championships, set to begin on Mar. 25 in Boston. The event will play a crucial role in determining national quotas for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics next year. “I’m learning how to stay focused and manage my nerves,” Kim said. “I know I’ll still be nervous at Worlds, but I want to stay composed and perform better than last year.” Kim won bronze at the 2024 World Championships. “For now, I need to rest and recover for a day or two,” she added. “Then, I’ll start training to refine areas that need improvement.”
In the men’s singles event, Winter Asian Games gold medalist Cha Jun-hwan (24, Korea University) took silver with a total score of 265.02, finishing behind Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov (285.10). Cha struggled in both programs, under-rotating a quad salchow in the short program and failing to complete a quad toe loop in the free skate. Despite the errors, he successfully executed the remainder of his elements. Cha has now medaled at the Four Continents Championships for three consecutive years, following his gold in 2022 and bronze in 2024. He is set to compete at next month’s World Championships. “I’ve been competing continuously over the past few months, and it hasn’t been easy to maintain peak form,” Cha said. “But I think I finished strong. I still have time before Worlds, so I’ll focus on recovery and preparation.” In addition, South Korea’s Kim Hyun-gyeom (19) placed seventh in the men’s singles event.
