S. Korean Kim Yu-na fails to win third straight Grand Prix Final title

By Sam Kim

GOYANG, South Korea, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Kim Yu-na fell two points behind Japan's Mao Asada at the Grand Prix Final in her native country on Saturday, failing to capture her third straight title at the top international figure skating event.

Kim fell after a triple lutz and came short of fully executing another jump
during her free skate performance, posting a total score of 186.35. World
champion Asada earned 188.55 to capture gold while Italy's Carolina Kostner
scored 168.01 to finish third.
Kim, who skated in front of an enthusiastic home crowd that packed the 2,600-seat
arena in the city of Goyang outside Seoul had finished first in the short program
a day earlier with a score of 65.94.
The 18-year-old added 120.41 in the free skate on Saturday, the second best among
six contestants, but failed to edge Asada who earned three points more to claim
her first Grand Prix Final title.
"I felt a bit short on stamina today after feeling symptoms of a cold that
developed two days ago," Kim said after the competition.
"I'm nevertheless glad I got to win a medal in my country," said Kim, who missed
last year's Four Continents championship in her country due to a hip injury.