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Zhao, Shen sparkle on rink of gold
Source: Agencies |
February 17, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
HUSBAND-AND-WIFE team Zhao Hongbo and Shen Xue broke Russia's 46-year stranglehold on the Olympics figure skating pairs event on Monday with a mesmerizing performance worthy of 18 years' hard work together.
The duo, who came out of retirement in pursuit of Winter Games glory, earned a record combined total of 216.57 points to capture China's first title in the figure skating wdiscipline.
Compatriots Pang Qing and Tong Jian trailed the three-time former world champions by 3.26 points, while Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy finished third.
"Today's medal is a completion of a dream after so many years," Shen, who had kissed the medal in unison with her husband while on the podium, told reporters in Vancouver. They had finished third in the previous two Olympics.
Knocked off
Russian or Soviet skaters had dominated the pairs event by winning gold at 12 successive Olympics stretching back to the 1964 Innsbruck Games but on Monday they were completely knocked off the podium after Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov both crashed to the ice in their free program. They were fourth.
The last time they won a major title, Zhao had stunned Shen by dropping to one knee at the end of their free skate at the 2007 world championships to ask her hand in marriage.
On Monday, the 36-year-old Zhao again flopped down on his knees but this time it was to celebrate that, after three missed opportunities, they had finally won the ultimate prize at their fourth Olympics. The pair had first teamed up 18 years ago.
The last among 20 couples to compete, Shen and Zhao calmly stepped on the ice even though the Pacific Coliseum was still buzzing following the stupendous display by Pang and Tong - who had brought the crowd to their feet with their breathtaking performance to "Impossible Dream".
Tong certainly thought he had produced a winning performance as he bent down to kiss the ice after producing a near flawless display to earn the day's top mark of 141.81 for their free skate and a combined total of 213.31.
His feeling of jubilation lasted less than 10 minutes as Shen and Zhao blew away their rivals.
After opening their account with high-flying triple toeloops, those lucky souls in the arena witnessed Zhao sending his wife into orbit as they performed a back-to-back throw triple loop and throw triple salchow.
Shen landed each of the jumps with such precision it seemed as if she was performing on a metal surface with magnets attached to her blades dragging her down to the surface.
The duo's only blip was when Zhao over-rotated on a double axel and were slightly out of sync in their side-by-side spins. As it was, their score of 139.91 could not match Pang and Tong's free program but having held a healthy advantage over their Chinese rivals going into Monday, it would have taken a fall to deny them gold.
The duo, who came out of retirement in pursuit of Winter Games glory, earned a record combined total of 216.57 points to capture China's first title in the figure skating wdiscipline.
Compatriots Pang Qing and Tong Jian trailed the three-time former world champions by 3.26 points, while Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy finished third.
"Today's medal is a completion of a dream after so many years," Shen, who had kissed the medal in unison with her husband while on the podium, told reporters in Vancouver. They had finished third in the previous two Olympics.
Knocked off
Russian or Soviet skaters had dominated the pairs event by winning gold at 12 successive Olympics stretching back to the 1964 Innsbruck Games but on Monday they were completely knocked off the podium after Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov both crashed to the ice in their free program. They were fourth.
The last time they won a major title, Zhao had stunned Shen by dropping to one knee at the end of their free skate at the 2007 world championships to ask her hand in marriage.
On Monday, the 36-year-old Zhao again flopped down on his knees but this time it was to celebrate that, after three missed opportunities, they had finally won the ultimate prize at their fourth Olympics. The pair had first teamed up 18 years ago.
The last among 20 couples to compete, Shen and Zhao calmly stepped on the ice even though the Pacific Coliseum was still buzzing following the stupendous display by Pang and Tong - who had brought the crowd to their feet with their breathtaking performance to "Impossible Dream".
Tong certainly thought he had produced a winning performance as he bent down to kiss the ice after producing a near flawless display to earn the day's top mark of 141.81 for their free skate and a combined total of 213.31.
His feeling of jubilation lasted less than 10 minutes as Shen and Zhao blew away their rivals.
After opening their account with high-flying triple toeloops, those lucky souls in the arena witnessed Zhao sending his wife into orbit as they performed a back-to-back throw triple loop and throw triple salchow.
Shen landed each of the jumps with such precision it seemed as if she was performing on a metal surface with magnets attached to her blades dragging her down to the surface.
The duo's only blip was when Zhao over-rotated on a double axel and were slightly out of sync in their side-by-side spins. As it was, their score of 139.91 could not match Pang and Tong's free program but having held a healthy advantage over their Chinese rivals going into Monday, it would have taken a fall to deny them gold.
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