Winter Olympics

Chinese Pair Win Figure-Skating Gold

Breaks 50-year Russian stranglehold.

Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo thought that they had accomplished everything they could accomplish when they retired in 2007—two Olympic bronzes and three World Championships. But, after three years away from the ice, they came back to Vancouver for one last shot at gold. Now married, and by far the oldest skaters in the competition, Shen and Zhao thrilled the judges Monday night to earn China’s first ever figure-skating gold medal and break a win streak held by Russia and the Soviet Union dating back to 1960. "We've been in competitions for many years, and won other medals," Zhao said. "But every time we heard the national anthem and saw our flag being raised, we wished it was the Olympic Games. Today we've achieved our goal."