Figure skater Kim Yu-Na to skip Grand Prix

South Korean figure skating star Kim Yu-Na South Korean figure skating star Kim Yu-Na said Monday she will not compete for Grand Prix titles later this year due to her busy schedule promoting the country's bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Kim, on arrival home from

the World Figure Skating Championships in Moscow, said she needs "breathing time" and will be busy until July on promoting Pyeongchang's Olympics bid. "I don't think I can handle as much in the next season as I did in the previous seasons," the 20-year-old told reporters. The reigning Olympic champion finished second in the women's figure skating event on Saturday after Japan's Miki Ando. "This season after the Olympics has been quite difficult, but I'm happy that I finally wrapped this up without giving up," she said. Kim is scheduled to join a whirlwind tour to countries including Switzerland and South Africa to promote Pyeongchang's bid as a goodwill ambassador.
The 2011-12 Grand Prix final will be held in Canada in December.

Kim, a three-time winner of the Grand Prix final title, was listed last year as one of the world's highest-paid female athletes with annual earnings of $9.7 million.She will donate her prize money from the 2011 world championships to help victims of the quake-tsunami disaster in Japan, according to a report. Yonhap news agency on Sunday quoted Kim's agent as saying the 20-year-old who won a silver medal at the World Figure Skating Championships held in Moscow will donate the $27,000 winnings to UNICEF's relief efforts in Japan.The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics champion finished second in the women's figure skating titles on Saturday after Japan's Miki Ando.
Llast year she donated 100 million won ($93,545) to help quake victims in Haiti.