By Kang Yoon-seung
GANGNEUNG, South Korea, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean figure skating phenom Cha Jun-hwan arrived at the Gangneung Olympic Village on Monday to start his warm-up for the 2018 Winter Games.
Cha, South Korea's lone representative in the men's singles, said he will focus on maintaining sound conditions ahead of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, which will kick off this week.
"I will begin practicing Tuesday, and I plan to prepare well until the competition," Cha told reporters.
Cha, who is currently suffering from a cold, said he is recovering quickly.
The skater added that while the team event scheduled for this week can be considered burdensome, it is important for him to gain experience by participating in more events. The team event's short program is slated for Friday, the day of the Olympic opening ceremony.
The 16-year-old Cha had been considered a more likely prospect for the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, considering his youth and lack of experience on major international stages. But South Korean fans still hope that the phenom will at least make the top 10 at the PyeongChang Games.
Cha is one of five athletes instructed by Canadian figure skating coach Brian Orser.
Orser is a well-known figure skating coach here, as he coached legendary South Korean female skater Kim Yu-na to her 2010 Olympic gold medal. The Canadian coach also helped four more skaters reach the Olympics: Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan, Javier Fernandez of Spain, Gabrielle Daleman of Canada, and Elizabet Tursynbaeva of Kazakhstan.
South Korean figure skater, Cha Jun-hwan, speaks to reporters in Gangneung, the sub-host city of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, on Feb. 5, 2018. (Yonhap)
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