Kim Yu-na claims her third Grand Prix Final title

TOKYO, Dec. 5 (Yonhap) -- Kim Yu-na of South Korea won her third figure skating
Grand Prix Final title in Tokyo Saturday, nudging Japan's Miki Ando in the free
skating competition.
Starting 0.56 points behind her Japanese rival, Kim skated to Concerto in F by
George Gershwin, earning 123.22 points in the free skating event for an overall
score of 188.86.
Short program leader Ando received 119.74 points in the same event for a combined
total of 185.94 points, falling on a jump in the middle of the program.
Japan's Akiko Suzuki ranked third with a clean program, while Canada's Joannie
Rochette finished fourth after a lackluster performance.
Kim opened her program with a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination jump but
the toe loop jump was down-rotated, earning no additional points.
She went on to hit all seven clean triple jumps, including a triple flip that she
failed to land in the short program on Friday.
Her score of 188.86 points is far behind her personal best of 210.03 set at the
season-opening GP Trophee Eric Bompard in October in Paris.
Winning all three GP competitions ahead of the Vancouver Winter Olympics in
February, Kim, a strong favorite for gold, raised hopes that she could produce
her nation's first medal in Olympic figure skating.
brk@yna.co.kr
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