Top Headlines

Feeds

Lee Hae‑in Places Fifth as Korean Skaters Use Four Continents to Fine‑Tune Olympic Programs

Updated (4 articles)

Korean squad travels to Beijing for pre‑Olympic test event South Korea sent three men, three women and one ice‑dance pair to the ISU Four Continents Championships, viewing the competition as a crucial warm‑up before the Winter Games [2]. The team arrived on Tuesday and began rehearsals at the National Indoor Stadium, which hosts non‑European skaters [2]. The delegation’s primary goal is to assess program readiness and equipment fit ahead of the Olympics [2].

Cha Jun‑wan leads men’s contingent despite ankle concerns Veteran Cha Jun‑wan, a three‑time Four Continents competitor, entered the event while managing a season‑long ankle injury that forced him to drop a planned quadruple jump [2]. He has been testing new boot and blade combinations weekly to restore stability [2]. Fellow male skater Kim Hyun‑gyeom traveled with Cha, aiming for his Olympic debut and using the championship as his final international exposure before the Games [2].

Women’s roster reshuffled after injury withdrawal Kim Chae‑yeon withdrew from the women’s field due to a lower‑back problem, prompting the Korean federation to name Yun Ah‑sun as her replacement [2]. Shin Ji‑a, making her senior debut, and Lee Hae‑in, a 2023 Four Continents champion, were slated for their first Olympic appearances [2]. The revised lineup allowed the team to maintain depth while evaluating each skater’s competitive form [2].

Lee Hae‑in finishes fifth; Shin Ji‑a climbs to sixth Lee Hae‑in posted a total of 192.66 points (67.06 short, 125.60 free) and placed fifth, hindered by underrotations on a triple loop, triple lutz and triple flip, plus edge calls on the final two jumps [1]. Shin Ji‑a recovered from a 14th‑place short (53.97) with a strong free skate (131.09) to end sixth overall with 185.06 points [1]. Yun Ah‑sun, the injury replacement, earned 160.74 points for a 14th‑place finish [1].

Upcoming weekend performances set stage for Olympic selection Cha Jun‑wan and Kim Hyun‑gyeom are scheduled to skate later in the week, using the event to finalize program tweaks before the Games [1]. Their performances, alongside the women’s results, will influence South Korea’s final Olympic entries in men’s singles and ice dance [1]. The Four Continents outcomes provide the federation with concrete data on technical consistency and competitive readiness [1].

Sources (2 articles)

Timeline

1906 – Ahn Ik‑tae is born in Pyongyang; his later composition becomes South Korea’s national anthem, a lasting symbol of Korean identity and unity[4].

1995 – Former President Roh Tae‑woo is indicted for accepting 280 billion won in bribes, highlighting a legacy of high‑level political corruption that shapes contemporary Korean governance debates[4].

2009 – Figure‑skating star Kim Yu‑na captures her third ISU Grand Prix Final title in Tokyo with 188.86 points, cementing South Korea’s reputation as a winter‑sports powerhouse and inspiring the next generation of skaters[4].

2010 – South Korea and the United States finalize a new auto‑trade agreement, addressing U.S. concerns over Korean export barriers and preserving a key pillar of bilateral economic relations[4].

2013 – The South Korean parliament approves the deployment of roughly 500 troops to the Philippines for Typhoon Haiyan relief, demonstrating Seoul’s commitment to regional humanitarian assistance[4].

Dec 3 2024 – President Yoon Suk‑Yeol declares emergency martial law, which is lifted six hours later after lawmakers overturn it; police open a treason investigation into the decree, underscoring a volatile political climate ahead of the 2026 elections[4].

Dec 13 2025 – Snowboarder Yu Seung‑eun, 17, wins silver in the women’s big‑air World Cup in Steamboat Springs with 173.25 points, becoming the first South Korean to medal in that discipline and boosting the nation’s medal prospects for the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Olympics; teammate Choi Gaon also wins a halfpipe title the same weekend[3].

Jan 20 2026 – South Korea fields three men, three women and an ice‑dance pair at the Four Continents Championships in Beijing, traveling to the National Indoor Stadium for a crucial Olympic warm‑up; Cha Jun‑hwan adjusts his program after an ankle injury and reduces quadruple jumps, Kim Hyun‑gyeom eyes his Olympic debut, and Shin Ji‑a and Lee Hae‑in prepare for their first Games while Kim Chae‑yeon withdraws with a back injury, prompting Yun Ah‑sun’s replacement[2].

Jan 23 2026 – Lee Hae‑in finishes fifth at Four Continents with 192.66 points, struggling with multiple under‑rotated jumps that cost her a podium spot; Shin Ji‑a rebounds from a 14th‑place short program to sixth overall with a strong free skate; Japan’s Yuna Aoki wins the event with 217.39 points; men’s Olympians Cha Jun‑hwan and Kim Hyun‑gyeom gear up for the weekend, signaling South Korea’s final pre‑Olympic assessments before the Beijing Games[1].

All related articles (4 articles)