Asada is Golden

Mao Asada’s opening move was heart-stopping — and not in a good way.
As she went to take off for a triple axel, a jump so hard few women even try it, she slipped and slid across the ice.
“I was surprised myself,” Asada said.
But the two-time Japanese champion rebounded with a huge triple flip-triple toe loop combination, righting her long-program fortunes and capturing the gold medal at the World Figure Skating Championships on Thursday. She finished with 185.56 points, winning by almost a point.
“I learned that I still can make up for the mistake if the other elements are good,” Asada said. “Never give up. That’s what I learned this year.”
Two-time European champion Carolina Kostner of Italy won the silver (184.68 points) and South Korea’s Kim Yu-na finished third (183.23).
Asada’s was by far the most spectacular fall of the evening, with the crowd of 9,431 groaning in unison. But it was not the only one.

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