Junhwan Cha: “In the free skate, I wanted to express my passion and love for skating.”
Junhwan Cha about his performances at the 2025 World Championships.
original source: mfocus.kr dd. March 28th 2025 by Park Jimin / mfocus.kr dd. March 30th 2025 by Park Jimin
Junhwan Cha finished the competition in seventh place with a total of 265.74 points after jumping from 10th place in the short program to fifth in the free skate. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on MFocus.
When interviewed in the mixed zone after the short program, Cha was asked whether the rink size posed any concerns. “To be honest, I was a bit worried,” he admitted. “Since the rink is smaller, it took me a lot of time to adapt. I also had to slightly adjust my timing, which created a bit of unease. Still, I focused as much as I could to align my timing, and thankfully, I was able to make it work,” he said.
Reflecting on a busy season filled with international competitions, Cha acknowledged, “There were moments when it was physically demanding, but finishing the short program has helped me regain confidence.” Regarding his program music, Natural, he explained, “It carries a positive message, which is why I chose it. I wanted to share energy with the audience.”
“In the free skate, I want to express my passion and love for skating,” he said going into the free program,
After the free program he reflected: “I think I gave it my all and wrapped up the competition well. Since Olympic qualification was on the line, I paid a lot of attention to that aspect. While I focused on my own performance and saw my goal partially realized, I’m satisfied with the result.”
South Korea has secured one spot for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in men’t single sakting with the potential to earn an additional spot through the qualifying event. “Toward the end of the season, I had about five consecutive competitions, which took a toll on my condition and caused some ups and downs, so I was worried. This was an event with inevitable pressure, but I approached it knowing it was my responsibility. Now that the decision is out of my hands, I feel like I’ve done my part. From here on, I think it’s time I focus on myself,” he shared.
Reflecting on the entire season, Cha said: “Looking at today’s competition alone, I feel regretful about certain things. But in terms of the entire season, I think I overcame a lot. There were numerous competitions at the start of the season, and I had injuries mid-season, but competing one event at a time helped me build myself up. I had the chance to skate to music I enjoy, and it was a season full of learning experiences,” he shared. When asked to grade himself on his season, he smiled humbly and responded: “60 out of 100.”
Regarding his previously mentioned ankle injury, Cha said: “Right now, I’m just maintaining its condition. I need to manage it carefully to avoid worsening the situation.”
When asked about off-season plans such as ice shows, he commented: “This season was packed with events and competitions, so I think I’ll focus more on recovery. I plan to rest, prepare new programs, and thoughtfully set my direction for the upcoming Olympic season.”
Related topics: Junhwan Cha, world championship
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