China’s pairs figure skating team of Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao came out of retirement in hopes of winning an elusive Olympic gold medal. On Monday night in Vancouver, they accomplished just that.
China’s Shen-Zhao Wins Pairs Figure Skating Gold, Ends Russian Dominance
The win by Shen-Zhao, a married couple who previously had won two bronze medals in the Olympics, ended decades of Russian dominance in Pairs Figure Skating -- Russia had won gold in the event for the past 12 Winter Games.
Another Chinese team, Qing Pang and Jian Tong, won silver, and Germany’s pair of Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy took bronze. It is the first time Russia has not appeared on the Pairs Figure Skating medal podium since 1964.
In the end, it was Shen-Zhao’s record setting Short Program score of 76.66 that propelled them to gold.
The top American finish was 10th, turned in by Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig.
More: SB Nation’s full coverage of the Winter Olympics and the 2010 Winter Olympics Medal Count Tracker.
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