Grishuk and Platov, who led through two compulsory dances and the original
dance, stepped and ''twizzled'' -- as quick, clean turns on the blades are
called -- to pull off a technically strong routine set to the haunting beats of
''Memorial Requiem'' by Michael Nyman.
The duo received two perfect 6.0s and seven 5.9s for artistic impression and
scored three 5.9s, five 5.8s and a 5.7 for technical merit with unanimous votes
for first place from all nine judges.
Grishuk and Platov, the four-time reigning world champions, became the first
ice dancers ever to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals while collecting their
22nd consecutive victory.
The couple has been unbeaten for four years -- ever since they triumphed at
the Lillehammer Olympics with an entertaining free dance to a rock'n'roll number
and Grishuk still sported her natural brown hair and used her given name
Oksana.
Grishuk, who now has her hair bleached to platinum blond, changed her name
last year to avoid confusion with Ukraine teenager Oksana Baiul, who also won an
Olympic gold medal four years ago in the women's singles.
Grishuk and Platov, dressed in purple outfits, pulled off their usual
action-filled routine featuring continuous moves, including lifts and
quick-twisting turns, with precision and barely any moment of just plain
skating.
Grishuk broke out in tears after the performance in the last Olympics for the
ice dance leaders, who have indicated they will turn professional following this
season.
Fellow Russians Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov, the two-time world
silver medalists, who have repeatedly tried to overtake Grishuk and Platov,
again finished behind their compatriots and settled for a silver medal.
Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat of France took the bronze medal after
playing Romeo and Juliet in a showcase of a technically demanding routine in
which Anissina, a former Russian, lifts Peizerat twice.
Two-time world bronze medalists Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz of Canada
finished in fourth place, followed by Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh, another
pair of Russian dancers.
Japan's Aya Kawai and Hiroshi Tanaka, the first to go on the ice, performed
their dance to a melancholic piece without any mishaps to finish in 23rd place
out of 24 entries.
Monday's competition was interrupted for more than 20 minutes after about
two-thirds of the lights hanging from the ceiling suddenly went out while the
seventh pair, Tatjana Navka and Nikolai Morozov of Belarus, were performing.
The problem was a result of human error, said Katsuichiro Hisanaga, a
technical delegate of the International Skating Union.
A staff member apparently turned the switch off by mistake and the mercury
lighting system required time to cool down before it could be re-lit.
The Olympic figure skating competition continues with the women's short
program Wednesday. (Kyodo News)
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Final results of the figure skating after the ice dance free dance program
Monday in the 18th Olympic Winter Games at White Ring, Nagano:
1. Pasha Grishuk and Evgeny Platov, Russia 2.0 points
2. Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov, Russia 4.0
3. Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat, France 7.0
4. Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz, Canada 7.2
5. Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh, Russia 9.8
6. Barbara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio, Italy 12.0
7. Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow, U.S. 14.0
8. Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas, Lithuania 16.2
9. Irina Romanova and Igor Yaroshenko, Ukraine 18.4
10. Kati Winkler and Rene Lohse, Germany 19.8
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22. Elizaveta Stekolnikova and Dmitrii Kazarlyga, Kazakstan 44.2
23. Aya Kawai and Hiroshi Tanaka, Japan 45.6
http://www.shinmai.co.jp/oly-eng/19980216/0005.htm