Olympic champion Kim Yu-na of South Korea captured the ladies title at the World Figure Skating Championships.

Kim, who skipped last year's Worlds after finishing second at the 2011 championships, placed first Thursday in the short program and two nights later kept her position by finishing with 218.31 points overall.

That was well ahead of Italy's Carolina Kostner (197.89), last year's world champion. Japan's Mao Asada (196.47) got the bronze medal.

Kim won gold at the Vancouver Games in 2010 and made a return to skating this year with her focus on the Worlds and defending her Olympic title next year in Russia. She also won a world title in 2009.

Kanako Murakami of Japan was fourth, followed by a pair of Americans - Ashley Wagner and Gracie Gold.