The 2007 World Figure Skating Championships will
be the last dance for Chinese pairs skaters Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo. The world
champions have confirmed they will retire from the sport after competing at the
tournament.
Zhao Hongbo(front) and Shen Xue.[File
Photo]
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Zhao Hongbo, who joins his partner Shen Xue in preparing for the upcoming
figure skating Grand Prix in Nanjing, told local media they will call it a day
after the world championships in Tokyo next March.
Shen and Zhao won the world titles in 2002 and 2003. They took the silver at
the 2004 World Championships and withdrew from the 2005 event after Zhao injured
his Achilles tendon.
Thirty-three-year-old Zhao overcame his injury to win a bronze medal with
Shen at the Turin Winter Olympics this February.