体坛英语新闻：S Korea's star figure skater Kim Yu-na looks beyond Olympics

SEOUL, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Kim Yu-na, the reigning world figure champion, seems to be taking things slow for now after indisputably demonstrating to the world that she is indeed in her own league way above the pack.

After successfully wrapping up the previous season and resuming training in Canada, Kim is briefly back in her native South Korea for a three-day ice show opening Friday, where she will unveil a new gala program and perform a duet with Michell Kwan, her childhood idol.

And Kim finds the shows refreshing, free from pressure and rules of competitions.

South Korea's Kim Yu-Na reacts on the podium during the awarding ceremony for the women's figure skating at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver , Canada, Feb. 25, 2010. Kim Yu-Na claimed the title with a total point of 228.56.

"I didn't realize this before, but after I started doing shows I genuinely felt that what I'm doing professionally is something really great," Kim said in a recent interview with Xinhua in Seoul.

The realization has given her more confidence, she said. "Unlike other sports, figure skating is a sport that allows one to put on performances without having to compete in a game."

The figure skating icon recently quelled speculation about her possible retirement by announcing her participation in the 2011 World Championship in Japan. She said she will bow out of the ISU Grand Prix events to focus more on the world championships.