ID :
205713
Wed, 09/07/2011 - 09:36
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/205713
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S. Korean figure skating team signs first foreign coach
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has signed the first foreign coach for its national figure skating team in hopes of bolstering its medal prospects for the upcoming Winter Olympics, the sport's national governing body said Wednesday.
Korea Skating Union (KSU) said Sergei Astashev from Russia will be guiding the national team skaters. The KSU said personal coaches for some skaters will try to work out their scheduling with the new coach.
South Korea's PyeongChang will host the 2018 Winter Olympics and the KSU said it hopes to become more competitive in figure skating by then.
"By bringing in a coach from overseas, we will try to have balanced development across all disciplines in figure skating," the KSU said. "A team event will be added starting at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi (of Russia). By PyeongChang, our goal is to have skaters qualify for every event."
Kim Yu-na is the only South Korean figure skater to have won an Olympic medal. She won the ladies' singles gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, about a year after clinching her first world championship. Her success has spawned a nationwide interest in figure skating, but no other South Korean has come close to matching her success.
But Astashev said he is optimistic about the future of figure skating here.
"I decided to come to Korea because Korea is passionate about figure skating, and I could sense sincerity from the skating union," he said. "I saw the future of Korean figure skating through Kim Yu-na. I'd like to build good relations with personal coaches and the primary goal is to send skaters to the Sochi and PyeongChang Olympics."
Astashev will work with young singles skaters starting immediately and then teach ice dancers later this fall.
Having taught in Russia, Finland and the U.S. since 1983, Astashev has produced a number of Olympic medalists, including Oksana Grishuk, the Olympic ice dancing gold medalist in 1994 and 1998, and Roman Kostomarov, the 2006 Olympic ice dancing champion. Astashev has also worked with Johnny Weir, a three-time U.S. men's singles champ.
A KSU official said South Korean skaters have traditionally scored low points in step sequences in international competitions and Astashev will try to address that and other technical issues.
Korea Skating Union (KSU) said Sergei Astashev from Russia will be guiding the national team skaters. The KSU said personal coaches for some skaters will try to work out their scheduling with the new coach.
South Korea's PyeongChang will host the 2018 Winter Olympics and the KSU said it hopes to become more competitive in figure skating by then.
"By bringing in a coach from overseas, we will try to have balanced development across all disciplines in figure skating," the KSU said. "A team event will be added starting at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi (of Russia). By PyeongChang, our goal is to have skaters qualify for every event."
Kim Yu-na is the only South Korean figure skater to have won an Olympic medal. She won the ladies' singles gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, about a year after clinching her first world championship. Her success has spawned a nationwide interest in figure skating, but no other South Korean has come close to matching her success.
But Astashev said he is optimistic about the future of figure skating here.
"I decided to come to Korea because Korea is passionate about figure skating, and I could sense sincerity from the skating union," he said. "I saw the future of Korean figure skating through Kim Yu-na. I'd like to build good relations with personal coaches and the primary goal is to send skaters to the Sochi and PyeongChang Olympics."
Astashev will work with young singles skaters starting immediately and then teach ice dancers later this fall.
Having taught in Russia, Finland and the U.S. since 1983, Astashev has produced a number of Olympic medalists, including Oksana Grishuk, the Olympic ice dancing gold medalist in 1994 and 1998, and Roman Kostomarov, the 2006 Olympic ice dancing champion. Astashev has also worked with Johnny Weir, a three-time U.S. men's singles champ.
A KSU official said South Korean skaters have traditionally scored low points in step sequences in international competitions and Astashev will try to address that and other technical issues.
