Haein Lee: “When I failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, my mom told me, ‘This isn’t the end — if you keep trying, you’ll achieve your dreams.’ Her words motivated me to work harder.”
Haein Lee about her performances at the 2025 World Championships and preparation for the Olympic season.
original source: mfocus.kr dd. March 29th 2025 by Park Jimin
Haein Lee finished the competition in ninth place with a total of 194.36 points. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on MFocus.
In the mix zone after her performance in the free skate, Haein Lee said, “I was very nervous during the warm-up. With so many spectators and the loud music, I felt a lot of tension, but I was happy to see the fans again, and I’m grateful to have competed alongside great skaters and friends.” She continued, “I’m relieved that I managed to add a combination jump on my second attempt, and I’m glad I didn’t fall today.”
Reflecting on the early inconsistency in her jumps, Lee commented, “I feel that I could have done a little better today. My lutz didn’t go as planned, but I did my best to show what I could do under the circumstances. After making some mistakes at the Four Continents Championships earlier this season, which didn’t feel like the kind of performance a senior skater should deliver, I’m happy to say that I successfully executed my Plan B this time.”
When asked to evaluate her performance overall, Haein shared, “In competitions, doing well in the short program makes preparing for the free skate much easier. This time, I completed the short program smoothly, so I was more comfortable heading into the free skate. Since I didn’t give up and fought until the end, I’d like to give myself a ‘Persistence Award,’” she said with a laugh.
Haein Lee described this season as “a very challenging one,” saying: “Before competitions, there were moments where I wondered, ‘How did I even manage to do this before?’ The nerves were overwhelming at times. Despite years of competing, I still get nervous, which I find surprising sometimes. Still, I was happy to be out at an ISU event, reunited with the fans. This season was tough both in practice and in competitions, but being able to see my fans and friends and work with my coaches brought me joy. The friendships I’ve built with many other skaters at these international events are precious to me, and regardless of the results, I’m satisfied because I gave it my all.”
When asked about the most memorable moment of the season, Lee replied, “Both the Four Continents and World Championships are meaningful, but if I had to pick one, I’d say the Korean Ranking Competition. I was disappointed with my mistake in the short program, but I was able to recover somewhat during the free skate, and that gave me more confidence moving forward. It was a turning point.”
Speaking about the upcoming Olympic season, she mentioned: “Missing out on the Beijing Olympics left a lasting mark, and I think that’s why this upcoming Olympic season feels even more urgent and special. Of course, I want to compete, but it’s not something I can decide on my own, so I plan to continue working hard as I always have.”
Regarding next season’s plans, Lee said, “During my junior days, I performed Fire Dance, which allowed me to fully show off my step sequence. I’d like to try a similar program again. Before today’s competition, coach Hyun Jung Chi told me, ‘We’re a team, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself — let’s do this together.’ Thanks to their support, I was able to stay strong until the end. I hope to continue enjoying skating with my coaches next season.”
Lee also shared her aspirations for attempting the triple axel: “Though it’s not perfect yet, I’ve succeeded in landing it a few times, and I want to keep challenging myself with it moving forward. When I failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, my mom told me, ‘This isn’t the end — if you keep trying, you’ll achieve your dreams.’ Her words motivated me to work harder for a medal at Four Continents, and I’ll keep pushing myself.”
When asked how she hopes fans and spectators will remember her, Haein said, “I want to be remembered as a skater who skates with happiness and works hard to achieve her dreams. I also hope that when people watch me skate, they’ll feel positive energy and experience joy.”
Related topics: Haein Lee, world championship
Leave a Reply