Prague: South Korea has lost one quota place in the men's singles for next year's figure skating world championships, following subpar performances by its two skaters at this year's event in Czechia. Cha Young-hyun ranked 27th in the men's short program with 70.92 points at the International Skating Union (ISU) Figure Skating World Championships at 02 Arena in Prague on Thursday. The one other South Korean in action, Kim Hyun-gyeom, ranked 28th with 70.71 points.

According to Yonhap News Agency, both skaters missed the cut for the free skate, which is open only to the top 24 skaters in the short program. The ISU adjusts quota places for countries based on their athletes' performances each year. For nations with two skaters competing, if their combined ranking positions amount to 13 or fewer, then their country will have three quota spots for the following year. If the total exceeds 28, however, that country will only get one quota place the next year.

In Prague, South Korea did not have Cha Jun-hwan, the 2023 world silver medalist who finished fourth at the Winter Olympics last month. He skipped the worlds to recover from nagging injuries. Ilia Malinin, two-time defending champion from the United States, topped the short program with a personal-best 111.29 points. He leads Adam Siao Him Fa of France (101.85) and Aleksandr Selevko of Estonia (96.49).