3-time world champions, Chinese couple skate their way into Hall of Fame

China 24

Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo

They are China’s best known figure skaters. Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo paired up on the ice back in 1992. Between practice and competitions, they found time to get married, have a child and win Olympic gold.

Now, they’ve achieved the ultimate recognition and selection to the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

CGTN’s Hendrik Sybrandy reports.

Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo of China traveled that very same path on the way to becoming two-time Olympic bronze medalists in pairs skating, three-time World champions and then in 2010 the first Chinese pairs team to win an Olympic gold medal. .

The World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs is paired with the only museum like it in the world. It’s stuffed with all sorts of figure skating-related memorabilia, including past gold medals. It honors exceptional skaters of the past – and soon Shen and Zhao’s poster will be on display here too.

Museum archivist Karen Cover said it was skater Chen Lu who really helped figure skating catch on in China. Shen and Zhao overcame setbacks and injuries, and came out of retirement to win gold. That ended half a century of Russian pair skating dominance.

A Hall of Fame committee decides which figure skaters would merit selection. 110 athletes are now enshrined there.


Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo talk about their selection to the Hall of Fame

The award-wining couple spoke to CGTN about the moment that they received the news of their selection to the Hall of Fame.