VANCOUVER (Reuters) – A majestic Yevgeny Plushenko signaled to the world that the champion was back in town as he electrified the crowd with a dazzling short program in the men’s Olympic competition on Tuesday.

The Russian showman had more than 11,000 pairs of eyes glued to his every move as he began his 2-1/2 minute program with a high-flying quadruple toeloop-triple toeloop combination.

The 2006 Olympic champion, who took to the ice in a shimmering black and silver lycra outfit featuring a plunging V-cut down to his chest, drew thunderous applause as he effortlessly flew through the rest of his program.

As soon as he completed his final dizzying spin, he kissed his knuckles and then took a couple of exaggerated marching steps before drawing an imaginary sword high into the air and returning it firmly into its sheath.

Unsurprisingly, he was a cut above those who had performed before him and it was possible that his score of 90.85 might not be eclipsed by any of the 20 competitors who were to follow him.

Among those still to perform were three other world champions, Stephane Lambiel, Brian Joubert and Evan Lysacek, and Canadian favorite Patrick Chan.

However, they all face a daunting prospect if any of them are to stop Plushenko from becoming the first man in almost six decades to win successive Olympic figure skating titles.

VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Yao Bin will never forget the day he heard the crowd laughing at him and pairs partner Luan Bo as they struggled to keep their balance during an unconvincing performance at the 1980 world championships.

Fast forward 30 years, and the man considered the godfather of Chinese figure skating was having the last laugh as his charges Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo gave the Asian nation their first Olympic figure skating gold medal.

China’s night of glory in the pairs did not stop there as Pang Qing and Tong Jian grabbed silver and they could have completed a sweep of the medals had Zhang Hao not fallen on his stomach during his opening double axel-triple toeloop combination with partner Zhang Dan. They finished fifth.

Yao has been the guiding force behind all three couples and Tong certainly felt his mentor’s ability to spot champions will stretch far beyond the pairs event.

“China has proved it is a force in figure skating. I want China to have more medals in the future, not just in the pairs, but also men’s and ladies,” Tong told reporters after kneeling over to kiss the ice following his spectacular free program.

“I hope we can inspire a new generation of youth to take up this sport and make China a great figure skating nation.”

Despite Russian great Irina Rodnina, a triple Olympic champion, labeling Yao and Luan’s skating as “very funny,” Yao’s vision allowed China to end the European powerhouse’s 46-year domination of the pairs event.

VANCOUVER, Feb 16 (Reuters) – Yao Bin will never forget the day he heard the crowd laughing at him and pairs partner Luan Bo as they struggled to keep their balance during an unconvincing performance at the 1980 world championships.

Fast forward 30 years, and the man considered the godfather of Chinese figure skating was having the last laugh as his charges Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo gave the Asian nation their first Olympic figure skating gold medal.

China’s night of glory in the pairs did not stop there as Pang Qing and Tong Jian grabbed silver and they could have completed a sweep of the medals had Zhang Hao not fallen on his stomach during his opening double axel-triple toeloop combination with partner Zhang Dan. They finished fifth.

Yao has been the guiding force behind all three couples and Tong certainly felt his mentor’s ability to spot champions will stretch far beyond the pairs event.

“China has proved it is a force in figure skating. I want China to have more medals in the future, not just in the pairs, but also men’s and ladies,” Tong told reporters after kneeling over to kiss the ice following his spectacular free programme.

“I hope we can inspire a new generation of youth to take up this sport and make China a great figure skating nation.”

Despite Russian great Irina Rodnina, a triple Olympic champion, labelling Yao and Luan’s skating as “very funny”, Yao’s vision allowed China to end the European powerhouse’s 46-year domination of the pairs event.

VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Robin Szolkowy had spun high into the air thousands of times as he performed the double axel to perfection in training and at numerous competitions. On Monday, that jump cost him the Olympic gold medal.

As double world champions, Szolkowy and Aliona Savchenko were front-runners for the pairs title at the Vancouver Games and after completing their opening high-flying triple toeloop-triple toeloop combination, they looked set for gold.

They piled up the marks when Savchecko next nailed the throw triple flip.

Then as the duo launched into the double axels, Savchenko landed the jump beautifully but could only watch in horror as her partner sprawled on the ice after slipping over on his blades.

With that, the 30-year-old knew his golden dreams had vanished. China’s Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo, and Pang Qing and Tong Jian won the top two medals.

“We are a little bit disappointed as the performance wasn’t the one we wanted to show,” a dejected Szolkowy, who could barely look at his bronze medal as it was placed around his neck, told reporters.

“The pressure built up maybe in your mind. It’s one long program in four years. You have to skate clean if you want gold. We had one chance to perform the double axel and felt in the air that there was something wrong … and it went wrong.”

VANCOUVER, Feb 15 (Reuters) – Robin Szolkowy had spun high into the air thousands of times as he performed the double axel to perfection in training and at numerous competitions. On Monday, that jump cost him the Olympic gold medal.

As double world champions, Szolkowy and Aliona Savchenko were front-runners for the pairs title at the Vancouver Games and after completing their opening high-flying triple toeloop-triple toeloop combination, they looked set for gold.

They piled up the marks when Savchecko next nailed the throw triple flip.

Then as the duo launched into the double axels, Savchenko landed the jump beautifully but could only watch in horror as her partner sprawled on the ice after slipping over on his blades.

With that, the 30-year-old knew his golden dreams had vanished. China’s Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo, and Pang Qing and Tong Jian won the top two medals.

“We are a little bit disappointed as the performance wasn’t the one we wanted to show,” a dejected Szolkowy, who could barely look at his bronze medal as it was placed around his neck, told reporters.

“The pressure built up maybe in your mind. It’s one long programme in four years. You have to skate clean if you want gold. We had one chance to perform the double axel and felt in the air that there was something wrong … and it went wrong.”

VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Husband-and-wife team Zhao Hongbo and Shen Xue broke Russia’s 46-year stranglehold on the Olympics figure skating pairs event on Monday with a mesmerizing performance worthy of 18 years’ hard work together.

The duo, who came out of retirement in pursuit of Winter Games glory, earned a record combined total of 216.57 points to capture China’s first title in the discipline.

Compatriots Pang Qing and Tong Jian trailed the three-times former world champions by 3.26 points, while Germany’s Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy finished third.

“Today’s medal is a completion of a dream after so many years,” Shen, who had kissed the medal in unison with her husband while on the podium, told reporters. They had finished third in the previous two Olympics.

Job done, a grinning Shen immediately set her sights on their next goal: “It’s hard to continue skating — maybe it’s time to have a baby,” she told a news conference.

Russian or Soviet skaters had dominated the pairs event by winning gold at 12 successive Olympics stretching back to the 1964 Innsbruck Games but on Monday they were completely knocked off the podium after Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov both crashed to the ice in their free program. They were fourth.

The last time they won a major title, Zhao had stunned Shen by dropping to one knee at the end of their free skate at the 2007 world championships to ask her hand in marriage.

VANCOUVER, Feb 15 (Reuters) – Husband-and-wife team Zhao Hongbo and Shen Xue broke Russia’s 46-year stranglehold on the Olympics figure skating pairs event on Monday with a mesmerising performance worthy of 18 years’ hard work together.

The duo, who came out of retirement in pursuit of Winter Games glory, earned a record combined total of 216.57 points to capture China’s first title in the discipline.

Compatriots Pang Qing and Tong Jian trailed the three-times former world champions by 3.26 points, while Germany’s Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy finished third.

“Today’s medal is a completion of a dream after so many years,” Shen, who had kissed the medal in unison with her husband while on the podium, told reporters. They had finished third in the previous two Olympics.

Job done, a grinning Shen immediately set her sights on their next goal: “It’s hard to continue skating — maybe it’s time to have a baby,” she told a news conference.

Russian or Soviet skaters had dominated the pairs event by winning gold at 12 successive Olympics stretching back to the 1964 Innsbruck Games but on Monday they were completely knocked off the podium after Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov both crashed to the ice in their free programme. They were fourth.

The last time they won a major title, Zhao had stunned Shen by dropping to one knee at the end of their free skate at the 2007 world championships to ask her hand in marriage.

VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo slipped off to enjoy a romantic evening together on Valentine’s Day after setting pulses racing with a near flawless display in the Olympic figure skating pairs short program on Sunday.

The Chinese husband-and-wife team, who have come out of retirement to make a fourth attempt at winning the top prize, held almost 14,000 spectators transfixed as they effortlessly glided around the ice to earn a record 76.66 points.

German world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy put in an emotionally-charged performance to “Send in the Clowns” but their out-of-sync spins probably cost them the lead as they trailed the Chinese by just 0.7 of a point.

The crowd, however, gave the judges the thumbs down when they muttered their disapproval at the scores given to the Germans.

Russians Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov finished third with 74.16.

“I feel very happy today because we put in a very good performance, it’s probably a gift for Valentine’s Day,” a grinning Zhao told reporters.

“Today is just the short program, tomorrow will be more important and hopefully tomorrow we will put in as good a performance as today.”

VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo slipped off to enjoy a romantic evening together on Valentine’s Day after setting pulses racing with a near flawless display in the Olympic figure skating pairs short program Sunday.

The Chinese husband-and-wife team, who have come out of retirement to make a fourth attempt at winning the top prize, held almost 14,000 spectators transfixed as they effortlessly glided around the ice to earn a record 76.66 points.

German world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy put in an emotionally-charged performance to “Send in the Clowns” but their out-of-sync spins probably cost them the lead as they trailed the Chinese by just 0.7 of a point.

The crowd, however, gave the judges the thumbs down when they muttered their disapproval at the scores given to the Germans.

Russians Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov finished third with 74.16.

“I feel very happy today because we put in a very good performance, it’s probably a gift for Valentine’s Day,” a grinning Zhao told reporters.

“Today is just the short program, tomorrow will be more important and hopefully tomorrow we will put in as good a performance as today.”

VANCOUVER, Feb 14 (Reuters) – China’s Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo took a major step towards breaking the Russian grip on the Olympic figure skating pairs event when they trumped the field on Sunday with a record score in the short programme.

The husband and wife team earned 76.66 to gain the psychological advantage over twice world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy heading into Monday’s free skate.

The German duo trailed the three-times former world gold medallists by 0.7 of a point, while Russians Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov finished third with 74.16.

Russians have dominated the pairs event by winning gold at every Olympics stretching back to the 1964 Innsbruck Games.

(Editing by Miles Evans; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)