China's Shen Xue is thrown in the air by her partner Zhao Hongbo on their way to win the pairs free skating in the World Figure Skating Championships in Tokyo March 21, 2007.
Photo: AP
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The Flying Chinamen
The first gold medal in the figure skating world championship in Tokyo went yesterday to the Chinese pair Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo, skating beautifully to the music of Massenet. Second place was taken by last year's champions Pang Qing and Tong Jian of China, and Germans Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy placed third.
Shen and Zhao have won three world championships and are pioneering Chinese skaters, being the first to excel in choreography. They won world championships in 2002 and 2003, but injuries kept them away from the competitions in Salt Lake City and Turin.
The best Russian pair, Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov, students of Tamara Moskvina, fared poorly in the freestyle program and fell from fourth to ninth place. Kawagati has just recovered from an injury. They missed several months of practice.
The men's short program also took place yesterday. Swiss world champion Stephane Lambiel made a poor showing and placed sixth, while French champion of Europe Brian Joubert took the lead. Joubert looks poised to take away Lambiel's title tomorrow.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Mar. 22, 2007
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