Figure Skating: Shen, Zhao claim China's first figure skating gold

Vancouver (AFP) - Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo gave China their first ever Olympic figure skating title when they won gold in the pairs event in Vancouver on Monday.

The husband-and-wife team led a Chinese 1-2 ahead of teammates Pang Qing and Tong Jian with Germany's reigning two-time world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy taking bronze after the free skating final.

Shen, 31, and Zhao, 36, had returned after retiring for two years in their bid to claim gold after winning bronze at the past two Olympics.

But they faced a tense wait to see if they had secured the title following a stunning free skate by Pang and Tong to the music Impossible Dream giving which gave them a new world record mark of 141.81 in the free skate.

Pang and Tong, the 2006 world champions, surged from fourth after the short programme with an overall 213.31.

Shen and Zhao scored second highest in the free skate after errors in their routine to Adagio in G Minor by Tomaso Albinoni but it was enough to secure victory with 139.91 and 216.57 overall for a new world record score.

The Germans dropped to third after Szolkowy fell on a double axel in their routine to the soundtrack Out of Africa, giving them 134.64 for the programme and 210.60 overall.

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[PochinkoPotanko]

CONGRADS!!!!!

I couldn't see the competition on TV though....it's so stupid they're not allowing any of the oly game videos. I am really getting sick of rights and stuff! I thought the olys belong to all of us!

[hann2160]

Congratulations to China!!! and of course Zhen and Zhao for their brillant breath taking performance and hard work...

[chelseane2007]

Loveyour channel!!!

[CTILET]

Хе хе ! Please Tell what was the name of their last song (final song) ? ? ?

[candyucky]

where can i watch this?!?!?!?!!!

[sanndyzhou]

CONGRATS SHEN & ZHAO ! YOU GUYS DEFINITELY DESERVED THE GOLD MEDALS ! chinese pride !

[flyingpetals9]

@NapalmPuppet you know, i have no idea. they could have added the drums for special effect to make the routine a bit more dramatic.

[NapalmPuppet]

@flyingpetals9

Yea it sounds right. But is the version they skated too mixed with something else. I just watched there routine again and you can deff hear drums. No drums in the Eroica trio version.

[NapalmPuppet]

@flyingpetals9

You Sir are a legend!

[flyingpetals9]

it's adagio in G minor by the eroica trio. You can purchase it from amazon download or from itunes :) You can find more information about their songs by wikipedia their names :)

[flyingpetals9]

Effort will take you far. These 2 have been my inspiration to work hard everyday. Very glad that they finally got the gold medal. Nothing but applause for these 2.