Team China
Olympic champions Shen/Zhao announce retirement
By Lei Lei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-02-17 16:27
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VANCOUVER, Canada: Claiming China's first ever figure skating Winter Olympic gold medal on Monday night at the Vancouver Games, veteran couple Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo declared to retire in the following day.
"I want to tell all the people that care about us that we won’t take part in any competition from now on," said the 31-year-old Shen during a celebration party held by the partner of the Chinese Olympic Committee, Anta.
"We want to say thank you to all the people that are always support us - team officials, doctors and our teammates. Our coach Yao Bin is the one we even don't know how to express our gratitude to," she added.
Scoring a record high of 216.57 points, the husband-and-wife pair finally realized their dream of an Olympic gold in Vancouver after 17-year-long skating career.
They came back to gain it after over two years' retirement from 2007-09.
As for when to have a baby, the pair didn't give exact time, but said it might be possibly the next year.
"Our fans always care much about us, from the disclosure of our relationship to our marriage and now they are asking when it is the time for baby," said the 36-year-old Zhao. "We didn't have the plan, but I think it is next year."
