icenetwork.com: Skaters

Skaters

Pairs

Xue Shen

Born:

November 13, 1978

Birthplace:

Harbin

Height:

5' 3"

Level:

Senior

Hometown:

Beijing,

Club:

Harbin Skating Club

Hongbo Zhao

Born:

September 22, 1973

Birthplace:

Harbin

Height:

5' 10"

Level:

Senior

Hometown:

Beijing,

Club:

Harbin Skating Club

Coach:

Bin Yao

Choreographer:

Lori Nichol

On February 17, 2010, they announced their retirement from competitive skating.
Shen and Zhao started skating together in 1992; both started as single skaters, and Shen was paired with Zhao when his former partner retired ... They name 1988 and 1994 Olympic champions Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov as their idols in skating ... They are the first pair from China to become World champions (2002, '03, '07); they are also the 1999 World silver medalists ... They have landed quadruple throw Salchows in practice ... The couple withdrew from the 2005 World Championships when Zhao suffered from an Achilles tendon injury; he then ruptured his Achilles tendon while practicing a triple toe loop in August 2005 and was off the ice for months ... The couple came back to competition for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games ... Zhao got down on one knee to propose to Shen on the ice after their gold medal-clinching free skate at 2007 Worlds, and Shen said yes ... They retired from competition after that event but came back for the 2009-10 season, trying again for Olympic gold, which they won ... Coach Yao Bin was on the first team that represented China in a World Championship (Dortmund 1980).

Grand Prix Final - Senior Pairs - Free Skate 400K | 800K
Grand Prix Final - Senior Pairs - Short Program 400K | 800K
Skate America - Pairs - Free Skate 400K | 800K
Skate America - Pairs - Short Program 400K | 800K
Cup of China - Pairs - Free Skate 400K | 800K
Cup of China - Pairs - Short Program 400K | 800K