Watch: South Korean figure skater’s first pitch as baseball game wows all

South Korean figure skater Kim Ye-Lim was at Incheon Munhak Stadium for the SSG Landers’ home opener against the KIA Tigers.

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South Korean figure skater Kim Ye-Lim's first pitch at the SSG Landers home opener is going viral.

It’s an honour to throw the first pitch at baseball games. And when guests are invited to do so, it’s their distinctive methods that create a buzz. At a recent game in South Korea, a figure skater did just this as she showcased her poise and skills on the grass.

When Kim Ye-lim threw the first pitch at the KBO League Friday, she left netizens around the world in awe as she merged her skating skills with the professional game. The 19-year-old Olympian, one of the country’s best figure skaters, didn’t just throw the ball, she acrobatically twisted and twirled on the field before making a perfect landing to throw a heater into the catcher’s mitt.

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The sudden Double Axel on land at Incheon Munhak Stadium for the SSG Landers’ home opener against the KIA Tigers, took both the audience and the commentators by surprise. Soon, a video of the stunning moment spread to the other side of the world, with people in the US ruling that the best opener was not at an American game.

South Korean figure skater Kim Ye-Lim had one of the best first pitches we’ve ever seen 🤯

(🎥: @Landers__H)

pic.twitter.com/kq9WqnOg2O

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 8, 2022

The ceremonial first pitch is a longstanding ritual of baseball, where a guest of honour throws a ball to mark the end of pregame festivities and the start of the game.

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A post shared by 김예림 (@yelimkim0123)

Kim isn’t the first Olympian to show off her skill on the mount. Earlier, US gold medalist Simone Biles did a flip in the 2019 World Series before throwing the first pitch.

.@Simone_Biles putting her own… spin… on the ceremonial first pitch! 🤩

(🎥: @PatDStat)
pic.twitter.com/mBBEABdmko

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 24, 2019

As Kim’s video started doing the rounds on the internet, many dubbed it the “best first pitch of all time”, saying her elegance and control blew their minds.

Now this deserves a perfect technical score ⚾️⛸️

South Korean figure skater Kim Ye-Lim threw the first pitch at the SSG Landers home opener pic.twitter.com/IZYy8EIsPK

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) April 8, 2022

The most elegant first pitch in history was just made by South Korean figure skater Kim Ye-Lim… https://t.co/zDfewjZ4Z2

— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) April 8, 2022

I think ceremonial first pitches will never be the same. There’s now “before Kim Ye-Lim” and what comes after. https://t.co/ENHpmYk3Vz

— David Graves (@DavidGraves14) April 8, 2022