Elegant, effortless and easy as Kim takes world title

ELEGANT and effortless, Kim Yu-na produced another jaw-dropping performance to secure a world title in easy style.

FLAWLESS: Korea's Kim Yu-na enjoys the spotlight after her record breaking win at the World Figure Skating Championships in Los Angeles (Getty Images)

The Korean teenager has placed third at the last two World Championships but she upgraded herself in dominant style.

And it was not only the audience at the Staples Centre, inflated by Los Angeles' large Korean community, that was enthralled and enchanted. The judges agreed.

Her overall points score of 207.71 was the first time a female skater had even broken through the 200-point mark.

"I don't think about the points," she said.

"Being the world champion was my dream and I did it here, so this is just amazing.

"This world championships is the last competition before the Olympic season, so I really wanted to get this title."

Canada's Joannie Rochette won silver with 191.29 points while Japan's Miki Ando, the 2007 world champion, completed the podium.

Mao Asada, Kim's long-time rival and the reigning world champion, was fourth, with 188.09 points after failing on the second of two triple axel attempts.  

Kim is sporting royalty in Korea, dubbed Queen Yu-na. However, she owes a lot to her chief courtier, her coach Brian Orser, 

Orser - a former world champion himself and two-time Olympic medallist - pumped his fists in delight as his charge - the pre-championship burden and pressure heaped on her slender shoulders finally lifted - celebrated her success.

"I told her, there's nobody else in this rink that knows what you're going through except for me," he said.

"I pointed to a few people in the rink and I said, 'She doesn't know. He doesn't know. She doesn't know. I know.' The last thing you want to hear is, 'You're going to be fine.' Nobody knows that."

Great Britain's Jenna McCorkell improved one place on her short program position to finish 20th after the free skate.

Although her routine was far from flawless, she fell heavily when attempting a triple toe loop, it ensured she qualified for next year's Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.