South Korean figure skater Kim Ye-lim topped the ranking in the Women's Short Program at the International Skating Union(ISU) Four Continents Figure Skating Championships currently under way.

Kim earned 72-point-84 points following the short program inside Broadmoor World Arena in the U.S. state of Colorado on Thursday, local time, coming in first among 23 competitors.

The 20-year-old, who had won the bronze medal in the same tournament last year, has taken a step closer to winning the gold, which would make her the first South Korean skater to stand atop the podium since Olympic champion Kim Yu-na's victory in 2009.

The Women’s Free Skating event is scheduled for Saturday.

Meanwhile, fellow South Korean Kim Chae-yeon finished the short program in third place with 70-point-86 points, while last year's silver medalist, Lee Hae-in, came in sixth with 69-point-13 points.