Korean figure skaters take silver at World Team Trophy

Korea won a silver medal at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Team Trophy in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday, medaling for the first time at the event thanks to the performance of Lee Hae-in and Cha Jun-hwan.

Lee Hae-in [YONHAP]

Korea won a silver medal at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Team Trophy in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday, medaling for the first time at the event thanks to the performance of Lee Hae-in and Cha Jun-hwan.

The World Team Trophy, started in 2009 in an attempt to encourage countries to develop top figure skaters, is a competition in which the six countries with the best individual results during the season compete in a team format.

Only four countries — the United States, Japan, Russia and Canada — have medaled in the competition before this year.

Korea participated in the competition for the first time thanks to Lee and Cha’s outstanding performance on the international stage.

Lee, who earned a gold at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and a silver at the World Figure Skating Championships earlier this year, displayed yet another remarkable performance in Tokyo.

The 18-year-old finished in first place in both the short program and free skate, earning 24 points for Korea.

She managed a personal best in both events, scoring 76.9 points in the short program on Thursday to beat her biggest competitor Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, who took the gold in the World Championships, with 72.69. Lee then scored 148.57 in the free skate a day later to surpass Sakamoto with 145.75.

Cha, who became the first ever Korean male to medal in the World Championships with a silver last month, added 23 points to Korea's total with his performance.

Cha Jun-hwan [JOONGANG ILBO]

The 21-year-old scored 101.33 points in the men’s short program to finish second, managing the highest score ever in the short program by a Korean male skater.

Cha did not stop there, finishing first in the free skate with 187.82 on Saturday.

Korea ultimately won a silver medal with 95 points, 47 of which came from Lee and Cha.

The rest of the Korean squad did not perform as well, but still helped the country finish one point above Japan to take second.

Kim Ye-lim finished in seventh in the short program with 62.65 and came third in the free skate with 143.59.

Lee Si-hyeong finished 10th in the men’s short program with 77.24 and last in the free skate with 124.82.

Cha Jun-hwan, center, reacts with his teammates after the men's free skate during the World Team Trophy at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday. [INTERNATIONAL SKATING UNION]

The United States took gold with 120 points, while Japan earned bronze with 94.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]