Yu-Na Kim of South Korea broke another record in the Ladies Long Program, and combined with her Short Program score, became the first Korean skater to ever win Olympic Gold.
Japan’s Mao Asada also set a record for the first woman to ever land three triple Axels (Short and Long Program combined), and maintained second overall to win the silver.
Joannie Rochette of Canadian claimed the bronze, becoming the first Canadian lady to win an Olympic Medal since Elizabeth Manley took the silver in 1988 over 20 years ago.
Kim, 19, demolished her previous record with a new score of 150.06 (78.30/71.76) after her performance to Gershwin’s Concerto in F. The World Champion could actually rank 16th in the Men’s Personal Best Free Skating score, beating personal best scores of the likes of Alban Preaubert (FRA), Samuel Contesti (ITA), and many more.
The three-time Grand Prix Final Champion earned multitudes of positive Grades of Execution (GOE) points for every single one of her jumps which included six triple jumps as well as three double Axels. She also produced spectacular level 4 spins, as well as excellent level 3 straight line footwork and a level 4 spiral sequence. Her total score was 228.56 points.
Performing to Rachmaninov’s Bells of Moscow, Asada (19) reeled off a triple Axel, a triple Axel-double toeloop, and a triple flip-double loop. The Japanese Champion also landed a triple toeloop but then had the first jump downgraded in a triple flip-double loop-double loop downgraded. She also popped a triple loop near the end of her routine, but otherwise showed very good level 3 footwork and three level 4 spins.
The Four Continents champion earned 131.72 (64.68/67.04) for her routine, placing second in the long and overall with 205.50 points.
Rochette gave another spectacular performance despite the recent tragic loss of her mother on Sunday, placing third in the long with a new personal best of 131.28 (62.80/68.48) points.
Skating to Samson and Delilah, the six-time and current Canadian Champion opened with a solid triple Lutz-double toeloop-double Loop combination. Rochette, 24, proceeded to land another six triple jumps, and showed good level 3 circular footwork as well as three level 4 spins. The World silver medalist’s total score of 202.64 was more than enough to maintain third overall to win the bronze.
Laura Lepistö, who was in 10th after the Short, placed fourth in the long with a new personal best of 126.61 (63.89/62.72) points after her program to Adios Nonino and Fuga y Misterio. The Finnish Champion landed five triple jumps, including a triple toeloop-triple toeloop, and was awarded a level 4 on all of her spins. Many of her jumps garnered positive GOEs, and the 21-year-old moved up to sixth overall with a total score of 187.97.
Mirai Nagasu blaster her previous personal best with a score of 126.39 (65.83/60.56) points, placing fifth in the long with her Carmen routine. The U.S. silver medalist landed five solid triple jumps and displayed two very good level 4 spins, however her footwork and spiral sequence were only graded a level 2. Nevertheless, the 16-year-old placed fourth overall with a total score of 190.15 in her Olympic debut.
Japan’s Miki Ando skated a clean yet tentative program to place sixth in the long with 124.10 (62.50/61.60) points. The current World bronze medalist landed a total of six triple jumps, and was awarded level 4 on all of her spins and spiral sequence. With a total score of 188.86, the 22-year-old slipped from fourth to fifth place overall.
Akiko Suzuki had a good skate in her Olympic debut, scoring a new personal best of 120.42 points for a seventh place finish in the long. The Japanese silver medalist landed six triple jumps, most of which garnered positive GOEs, however her triple Salchow was downgraded to a double. The 24-year-old otherwise showed extremely good level 3 straight line footwork, and earned level 4 for all of her spins and spiral sequence. She moved up from 11th to eighth place overall with 181.44 points.
Rachael Flatt had a very solid skate which featured a total of seven triple jumps, however, two of those jumps – both of which were in combination with other jumps – were downgraded. Nevertheless, the U.S. Champion earned a new personal best of 117.85 for her routine to Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, placing eighth in the long and seventh overall (182.49).
Russia’s Alena Leonova landed six triple jumps, however two of those jumps were docked with negative GOEs. She finished ninth overall (172.46).
Teammate Ksenia Makarova gave a solid skate placing ninth in the long and 10th overall (171.91).
Finland’s Kiira Korpi rose from 17th after the short to 11th overall, while Cynthia Phaneuf of Canada finished 12th.
