The first round of selections for the 2024-2025 national figure skating team will be held at the Uijeongbu Indoor Ice Center in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do, next month from March 1-3.Major athletes including men’s singles standout Cha Jun-hwan (Korea University) and women’s singles aces Shin Jia (Youngdong Middle School), Lee Hae-in (Sewha Girls’ High School) and Kim Yerim (Dankook University) will compete in the event.The final rankings will be determined by combining the results of the 2023 KB Financial National Men’s and Women’s Figure Skating Championships, the first round of national selection, and the results of the 78th National Men’s and Women’s Figure Skating Championships, the second round of national selection, to be held next January.A total of 12 athletes will be selected for the national team next season, including four men’s singles and eight women’s singles. The selection criteria for team events such as ice dancing will be decided at a later date.The first round of selections will also include a place at the 2024 International Ice Skating Union (ISU) Four Continents Championships in Shanghai, China, next January. The top three in the men’s and women’s singles, pairs and ice dance will qualify.The outcome of this selection is hard to predict. The same goes for the men’s singles, which Cha has won every year. This is because Cha is not in top shape.
Cha injured his right ankle at the start of the season and had to withdraw from the fifth edition of the ISU Senior Grand Prix from April 18-20 due to severe pain.He is currently not in the best shape. However, Cha decided to compete despite the pain as he would lose his national team status if he missed the event.The national team will feature a number of young athletes who have excelled in junior Grand Prix competitions this season.Lim Joo-heon (SURIGO) and Kim Hyun-gyeom (HAN AD), who won one gold and one silver medal at the two Junior Grand Prix events, will be challenging Cha Jun-hwan’s achievements.In the women’s singles, all the major players will be looking to redeem themselves.Yoo Young, who lost her Taekwondo mark last year after failing to qualify for the national team, will be looking to make a comeback.Lee Hae-in and Kim Yerim, who have struggled in the Grand Prix series this season and have yet to win a medal, will also be looking to bounce back in front of their home fans.Shin Jia, who stood on the silver medal podium last year as a challenger, is the defending champion.The men’s and women’s senior short programs will be held on Dec. 2 and the free skating on Dec. 3.Lim Hae-na and Quan Ye (General) will be the 무료슬롯게임 only pair competing in the ice dance.