Mao Asada vs Yuna Kim: Olympic Showdown

In this episode of Journey of Icons, I cover the rivalry that produced two of the greatest legacies in women’s figure skating history. Mao Asada and Yuna Kim competed at the top of women's figure skating for a decade — and what they left behind reshaped the sport across an entire continent. Kim built a figure skating culture in South Korea almost from nothing; the generation of Korean women skaters that followed her is still winning medals today. Asada became the role model for Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno, two of the greatest male skaters in history. She later opened MAO RINK in Tokyo, dedicated to producing the next world champion. This episode is about what two athletes can build when they spend a decade pushing each other to the limit. 00:00 Intro 01:29 Two Philosophies Collide 03:30 Vancouver, 2010 05:30 The Years Between 06:59 Sochi, 2014 09:11 What They Left Behind 10:46 Who Was Better? Sources: Olympics olympics.com ISU isu.org NBC Sports nbcsports.com Britannica britannica.com Guinness World Records guinnessworldrecords.com Journey of Icons shows the greatest athletes and defining moments in sports history. Contact: [email protected]