World champion Kim Yu-na sets record for short program at Skate America

World champion Kim sets record

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Kim Yu-na is one straight-shooting Bond girl.

The world champion from South Korea set a world record for a short program Saturday night at Skate America, breaking her own mark with 76.28 points. She capped the mesmerizing performance to a James Bond medley with a marksman’s pose that would make Sean Connery or Daniel Craig proud.

“I’m trying to do a clean program every time,” Kim said after blowing away the field, grabbing a 17.48-point lead over American Rachael Flatt. “It’s not about the score. I don’t want to think about the score.”

She even admitted breaking the world mark was a surprise — to her, if not to the adoring fans who began buzzing when she came out for warmups, erupted in cheers when she finished to a standing ovation, then pressed their faces against windows overlooking the interview area.

There were banners proclaiming “Queen Kim” and even ones portraying the 19-year-old sensation as a Simpsons character and as the Pink Panther. On this night, she did everything but carve 007 into the ice.

“She wants to go out and skate well, show everybody what you are,” said coach Brian Orser, a two-time Olympic silver medalist. “I think she’s just excited about these new programs. They are such a good fit for her; she wears them well.”

If she keeps skating this way, she’ll be wearing gold in Vancouver in February. Asked if she can be beaten, she opened her mouth wide and shrugged.