Milan: Her early mistake on a jump notwithstanding, South Korean figure skater Shin Ji-a was still pleased with the way she performed her free skate in her Olympic debut in Milan on Thursday. Despite her wobbly landing with a triple loop, Shin earned her personal-best 141.02 points in the free skate for a total of 206.68 points, just 1.77 points off her season best. She had 65.66 points from the short program on Tuesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Shin expressed satisfaction with her performance, noting, "Except for that one mistake, I think I did the best I could the rest of the way, and I won't have any regrets about the way I skated." She admitted to feeling nervous before her performance but managed to calm herself by focusing on her ability to land the jumps, which she found easy. This mindset helped her deliver a performance that met her personal expectations.

Shin's happiness was evident as she concluded her routine with a fist pump, a rare display of emotion for the 17-year-old. "I was so proud of myself for getting it done despite all the jitters," Shin said of her reaction. Achieving a new personal best at the Olympics was a moment of joy and pride for her.

Reflecting on her Olympic experience, Shin acknowledged her disappointment with the mistakes made during both the short program and the free skate. Nonetheless, the experience has fueled her motivation to qualify for the next Olympics. "I don't know what will happen over the next four years. Hopefully, I will have become a better skater by that point," she remarked.

Shin's Olympic journey began with her participation in the team event on February 6, where she gained valuable experience by observing high-level competition from the team bench.