China's Zhang Dan (F)/Zhang Hao win the silver medal at the Turin Winter Games. (Photo: Xinhua)

    BEIJING, Feb.14 -- Chinese pairs figure skating athletes have swirled into history book by winning silver and bronze and a 4th position at the Turin Winter Games.

    Young and upcoming stars Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao were the last to compete after a perfect show by the eventural champions Russian Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin. However the 21-year-old pairs were forced to take a five-minute pause after Zhang Hao crashed heavily in the splits position after a failed throw quadruple salchow.

    After five minutes spent skating around the rink with her partner, testing her knee and consulting her coach, the 21-year-old returned to the contest to thrilll the crowd and complete a courageous, if not technically imperfect, routine.

    World champion Zhao Hongbo overcame his Achilles tendon injury to take the pairs bronze medal with partner Shen Xue Tuesday morning (Beijing Time).

    "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."

    The pair had missed most of the 2005- 2006 season after Zhao Hongbo suffered a broken Achilles tendon last August. They finished fifth after the short program last Sunday morning. On Tuesday morning, they produced a triple toeloop and double toeloop in the program to Madame Butterfly, followed by graceful triple twist and nice throw triple loop.

    They 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.

    "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.

    Another Chinese pair Tong Qing and Pang Jian finished fourth.

    (Source: CRIENGLISH.com/Agencies)

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