Injury-fresh Shen, Zhao claim bronze
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-02-14 09:30

Chinese figure skater Zhao Hongbo overcame his Achilles tendon injury to take the pairs bronze medal with Shen Xue in the Winter Olympics on Sunday.

Shen Xue (R) and Zhao Hongbo from China wave after the figure skating Pairs Free Skating at the Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy February 13, 2006. [Reuters]

"We did our best," said the 32-year-old Zhao after the competition.

"I haven't thought about my retirement or whether we would compete in the world championships. Now, what I want to do is to give my poor tendon a break."

At the 2002 Winter Games, the pair tried the throw quadruple salchows, but Shen failed to land properly, a mistake that left them in third place.

Shen and Zhao won the world title in 2002 and 2003. They took silver at the 2004 worlds and withdrew from the 2005 event because Zhao suffered an Achilles' tendon injury.

Shen Xue (L) and Zhao Hongbo from China perform during the figure skating Pairs Free Skating at the Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy February 13, 2006. [Reuters]

Shen/Zhao returned to competition after missing most of 2005- 2006 season. They produced a triple toeloop and double toeloop in the program to Madame Butterfly, followed by graceful triple twist and nice throw triple loop.

Shen/Zhao, who finished fifth in the short program, also nailed a double axel and a fluent pair combination spin and backward outside death spiral.

They posted 124.59 points (62.24/62.35) in the free skate and totaled 186.91 for the bronze.

Shen Xue, right, and Zhao Hongbo perform during the Pairs Skating final in Turin, Italy during the Winter Olympic Games on Monday, Feb. 13, 2006. [AP]

"I am very happy and very satisfied. We just had two months to prepare for the Olympics due to injury. We did everything we could, " said Shen.

"The injury hasn't fully recovered. Being here to skate makes me very happy," said Zhao.

"Zhao is the real winner. I admire the pair no matter the result," Chinese figure skating coach Yao Bin said.

"They are the Chinese heroes. I am happy for their performance and the result is not the most important," said China's IOC member He Zhenliang.

Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo from China bow after the figure skating Pairs Free Skating at the Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, February 13, 2006. [Reuters]

In order to compete his last Olympics, Zhao pushed himself very hard after the surgery.

On Nov. 24, just three and half months after the injury, Zhao returned to the ice. From Jan. 5, he began to try easy jumps. Just before leaving for Turin, Zhao jumped the triple toe-loop successfully.

Zhao also attempted the triple toe-loop and double axel, the two most difficult moves in his program several times after he arrived in Turin.

In 1998, Shen/Zhao became only the third Chinese pair in history to compete at the Olympics, finishing fifth. Up to now, they have won two Grand Prix Final events, and have reached the podium in six straight world championships, winning in 2002 and 2003.

"It only took Zhao six months to come back from the injury. Skating on ice itself is already a medical miracle," Zhao's doctor Li Guoping told Xinhua.

"Generally speaking, it took at least six months for a person who ruptured the Achilles to walk or run normally. Zhao is unbelievable," the doctor added.

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