Kim Yu-Na’s $1 Million World Record

Written By: guyjin on March 1, 2010 59 Comments

The UK’s Daily Mail has reported that Kim Yu-Na is in line for a US$1 million bonus from sponsors for smashing the world record in the ladies figure skating at Vancouver last week. Kim was already the world record holder for scores for both the free programme and overall scores, both of which were left in the dust as she increased them by more than 10% at Vancouver, to finish with 228.56 overall.

The ladies figure skating had been an extremely high level competition in Vancouver. Indeed, such was the quality of the top skaters that even the score of 8th placed Suzuki Akiko (181.44) would have been enough to earn her a bronze medal at Torino. Any of the top three (Kim, Asada Mao, and Joannie Rochette) would have won the gold medal at those games, with all of them breaking 200 (Gold medalist Arakawa could only manage 191). Still, Kim herself was so dominant that her score was about 10% better than anyone else. There was certainly no doubt on the day.

As the Mail reports, Kim’s sponsors challenged her to break her own world record at the Olympics, and insured themselves with Lloyds in London, just in case. Lucky that they did, because now they are going to have to pay out…

Kim Yu-Na already began the Olympics as the highest paid non-NHL athlete at the games. According to Forbes, she tied with Shaun White last year, earning more than $8 million. About $1.5 million of this came from winnings from tournaments, with the rest from rich sponsorship deals with major companies like Nike, Hyundai, Samsung and Proctor and Gamble. Her rates are only expected to rise in the future, and further sponsorship deals are almost certain to emerge in the coming months, making her even richer.

Asada Mao, Kim’s main rival, missed the Forbes top ten list, but according to Nikkan Sports, a spokesperson for her management company confirmed that her income is at least top 5 level, giving her at least $1.5 million in the last year. Her rates for TV commercials are said to be 50 million yen a piece.