외신에서 김연아에 대한 극찬을 볼 때마다 뿌듯하고 국내 언론보다 김연아의 업적을 더 잘 표현하는 것 같아서 인상 깊었던 기사들을 정리해본다.
Kim wins Olympic gold, and the gap grows - Alan Abrahamson (MSNBC)
To witness Kim on the ice is to evoke the same sentiment you get when sprinter Usain Bolt is waiting for the stick in the relay.
It's like Michael Phelps on the blocks, flapping his arms.
Game over. You know it. Everyone knows it.
With Kim, it's not just sport, it's art, too -- and that, at its best, is all that figure skating is meant to be.
Kim Yu-na Wins Gold in Figure Skating - Juliet Macur (NY Times)
While each of those skaters had moments of brilliance, Kim - who skated to Gershwin’s “Concerto in F” - was the only one to have an entire four minutes of it.
All Hail Queen Yuna - AP
The sport itself is counting on her to bring back the sass and star power that has traditionally made the women the must-see event of the Olympics. The reigning world champion sure showed she can handle such a chore _ in her nation and everyone else's.
A women's figure skating performance that likely will be remembered as one of the best of all time.
In their own way, top skaters deliver - Bonnie Ford (ESPN)
"Surreal," said two-time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan. "Yu-Na was untouchable with her triple-triple combo, not even a little hitch, no big deal. Under so much pressure, to deliver and deliver with ease, and 'I know what I'm doing' attitude. She was heads over everybody else and had the best performance of her life at the Olympics.
Golden Kim is queen of her court - E.M. Swift (CNNSI)
Kim's brilliance was, again, unparalleled, and she put herself squarely atop any list of the greatest Olympic champions of all time.
Kim Yuna coasts to gold medal in women's figure skating - Philip Hersh (LA Times)
"If this was track and field, we just watched an 8-second 100 meters," said Jamie McGrigor, a skating analyst doing in-house radio commentary.
Kim effortlessly assumes Olympic throne - Dan Wetzel (Yahoo! Sports)
In one corner of the Coliseum, just over the boards, officials had recruited a dozen young girls to help clean the ice after particularly strong performances caused fans to toss flowers and stuffed animals down in admiration. Usually there were just a few items. A big-time skate from a fan favorite might yield one large garbage bag full.
With 45 seconds left in Kim’s performance, even with trouble still a possibility, the official in charge of the skate girls summoned them from their bench and lined them up by the door. She sensed that such an onslaught of gifts and bouquets were coming and every second would be needed to clear the ice in time for the Asada to skate.
Kim Yu-na produced four bags full of admiration. It was a four-bagger at the Olympics.
Eastern Exposure: With Kim's Gold, Asian Skaters Come Into Their Own - Alice Park (Time)
Most of the 11, 771 spectators were on their feet as she twirled to a stop after her final spin, including Olympic and World champions like Michelle Kwan, who was in the crowd on Thursday as a fan, taking out her camera phone to capture Kim's tearful bows at the end of her program.
Yu-Na Kim a living, breathing work of art from Korea - Cam Cole (Vancouver Sun)
Yu-Na Kim, Brian Orser's ethereal 19-year-old living, breathing work of art from Korea, is almost literally in a different league from everyone else in women's figure skating.
They might as well have invoked the mercy rule after she skated.
Said 1992 Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi: “She's taken women's skating to a new level.”