“Watching Yuna Kim inspired my dream of competing at the Olympics, and I promised myself I would stand on that stage too.” Jia Shin earned her first Olympic spot
Jia Shin earned her first Olympic spot and aims to deliver a moving performance at the Olympics in Milan.
original source: Yonhap News dd. 4th January 2026
South Korean figure skater Shin Jia, inspired by her role model Yuna Kim, earned her first Olympic spot and aims to deliver a moving performance at the Games. Here’s a translation of her comments.
After finishing her free skate at the 80th National Figure Skating Championships and the second national team selection event at Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul on the January 4th, Jia Shin said, “Watching Yuna Kim inspired my dream of competing at the Olympics, and I promised myself I would stand on that stage too. At the Olympics, which is the stage of my dreams, I want to deliver a performance that moves many people.”
Jia Shin scored 145.46 points in the free skate and a total of 219.89 points, finishing first overall. Combining this with her score of 216.20 points from the first selection event, she achieved a combined total of 436.09 points, securing one of the two Olympic spots awarded to the top finishers.
This will be Jia’s first time competing on the Olympic stage.
Jia Shib has been a leading figure in Korean women’s singles since her junior days. From 2022 to 2025, she won four consecutive silver medals at the ISU World Junior Championships.
However, in her debut senior season (2025–2026), her results fell short of expectations. She finished seventh at the first event of the 2025–2026 ISU Senior Grand Prix and fifth at the second, missing out on medals.
Struggling to adapt to changes in her physique, she repeatedly missed jump elements that she had consistently landed as a junior. After the Grand Prix season, Jia Shin returned to basics.
“My jumps became unstable, and I felt anxious,” she said. “I focused on jump training off the ice to regain my balance.”
Her hard work paid off. Following her strong performance at the first national team selection in November, she maintained her peak form through the second selection, earning her Olympic spot.
Until the Olympics, Jia Shin plans to focus on mental preparation.
“I will continue to train hard and prepare thoroughly for the Olympics,” she said.
Related topics: Jia Shin, Olympic Games
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