2010 Olympic Pairs Figure Skating Preview: Savchenko-Szolkowy, Shen-Zhao Go Head-to-Head for Gold
According to NBCOlympics, US Champs Caydee Denny and Jeremy Barrett are slated to skate fourth, while the other American pair of Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig will be the eighth couple to take to the ice. Neither couple is a favorite to medal at the Vancouver Games, but could always surprise. Denny and Barrett finished a respectable ninth in the most recent World Championships and at just age 16, Denny could mature into a world class gold medal skater.
Ironically, the two couples likely poised to fight it out for the Olympic gold medal in pairs figure skating drew opposing spots in the starting order, with China's Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo set to start the short program competition, and Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy slated to end it.
Savchenko and Szolkowy have enjoyed tremendous success as a pair. The powerhouse duo is no stranger to winning Championship titles; they've taken the German title six times, the European title three, and have been World Champions twice, most recently in 2008-09. They've struggled a bit so far this season, placing only third in the Grand Prix final, behind the Chinese teams of Shen-Zhao and Pang-Tong. They are set to skate their Olympic figure skating short program to Sondheim's Send in the Clowns.
Perhaps the overall favorite to take the gold medal in Olympic pairs figure skating is the duo of Shen Xue, 31, and Zhao Hongbo, 36. Shen and Zhao, who already have two Olympic bronze medals in their back pockets, have enjoyed tremendous success so far this year, and despite their 'advanced age' in figure skating terms, appear to be in top form.
Other potential contenders for 2010 Olympic pairs figure skating gold are the Chinese pair of Zhang-Zhang, the current World silver medalists, and Russians Yuko Kavagui and Alexander Smirnov. They will skate 19th and 16th respectively in the short program round.
Sources
Robin Szolkowy, Wikipedia
Shen/Zhao search for pairs gold, NBC Olympics
Published by Sherry Wight - Featured Contributor in Arts & Entertainment
Sherry is a happily married stay-at-home mom to a book-loving second grader, a cancer-fighting superhero preschooler, an energetic three-year old and an early-walking baby boy. When she's not vacuuming, kis... View profile
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16 Comments
Post a CommentThanks for the info on the Adagio and Out of Africa. Now I want to see that movie. Just fyi, the composer for O of A was John Barry, though.
i thought the germans music was from dances with wolves. .. but of course it could be out of africa ... either way it's john williams!
I believe the music was Adagio in G minor - Albinoni for the Shen/Zhao program.
Pang/Tong skated to Impossible Dream and Savchenko/Szolkowy skated to Out of Africa. :)
I believe the music was Adagio in G minor - Albinoni
What was the music savchenko and szolkowy skated to tonight (Monday)?
Anyone know what music Pang-Tong and Shen-Zhao skated to during the free skate?
V, I believe Denney/Barrett skated to 'Firebird'.
What music was played during the Denney-Barrett short program?
What music did Pang-Tong use for their short program?