Team China
It's gold or bust for China's star skating duo
By Lei Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-12-08 08:09
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China's leading figure skating pair of Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo scored a record 214 points on its way to a sixth ISU Figure Skating Final title in Tokyo on Saturday. In a warning to its rivals, the veteran husband and wife team believes it can perform even better.
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 China's Shen Xue (L) and Zhao Hongbo react as they watch their result following their pairs free skating performance at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Tokyo December 5, 2009. China's Shen and Zhao know from bitter experience that their record-breaking form this season is no guarantee of an Olympic figure skating gold medal in Vancouver next month. [Photo/Agencies] |
"It was our sixth Grand Prix Final championship so it was just like a common competition for us. Our ultimate goal is the Winter Olympics next year," said Zhao after the pair returned to Beijing last night.
"We will work on our choreography and technique in lifts and death spirals. With those improvements, I believe we will do even better."
After more than two years in retirement, the three-time world champion pair burst back on to the skating scene this year in a bid to claim Olympic gold at the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games next February.
The pair has won all three competitions it has participated in this season and upped its personal best scores each time.
At the GP Finals in Tokyo, Shen and Zhao won gold with a record 214.25 points. Compatriots Pang Qing and Tong Jian, the 2006 world champions, settled for silver, followed by reigning world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany.
The other Chinese pair, Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao, which won silver at the Turin Olympics, finished sixth.
"The score of 214 was awesome and a surprise," said 36-year-old Zhao. "We give ourselves eight out of 10 at present. We are doing better and better each competition and I hope we can show further improvement at the Olympics."
Shen said enjoying skating was more important than the scores right now.
"What is important to us is not improving our scores but enjoying the experience two months before the Games," said Shen, who turned 31 last month. "We love figure skating and these two months will be special for us and we want to relish them."
The final in Tokyo was the Chinese pair's first opportunity to face two-time world champions Savchenko/Szolkowy, who are considered their biggest rivals for Olympic gold in Vancouver.
Although they comfortably beat the Germans by about 14 points, Shen and Zhao were cautious about declaring any great psychological advantage.
"They made a mistake in the free skating but they will be working hard to improve in the two months before the Olympics," said Zhao. "We predict a tough battle at the Games if both teams finish cleanly and successfully."
To perfect their routines, Shen and Zhao, two-time Olympic bronze medalists, will go to the US for advise from their choreographer, Lori Nichol, at the end of this week. In more good news for the couple, the champion pair at the GP Finals before the previous two Olympics has won the Games title.
"We never realized that but it's a good news for us," said Zhao. "The Olympic gold medal has always been our dream and we will strive for it step by step."
For China's national figure skating coach, Olympic gold is within reach.
"It's difficult to think about the Olympic gold medal as the German pair has performed so well in recent years but now we can say we are much closer to the title. The Olympic dream is not that far away," said Yao Bin.
(China Daily 12/08/2009 page24)
