Russians team to beat entering pairs free skate

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Zhao has made an amazingly quick comeback from a torn Achilles’ tendon in August. He only began triple jumps last week, but he hit his triple toe loop while Shen was touching her hand to the ice Saturday night.

“The power is not sufficient, but the performance I am happy for,” he said.

Russia’s Maria Petrova, skating on a sore ankle, and Alexei Tikhonov were third with a clean performance including a complex lift during which he swung her between his legs and into the air, followed by a neat twisting dismount.

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That got the red-and-white uniformed Russian athletes in the crowd excited, but they booed when they heard the marks for the world silver medalists.

In the new format, only nine of the 12 judges who score the event count, and the high and low scores are thrown out.

“We skated with our soul, with our heart and you can see the audience was with us,” Tikhonov said.

Inoue and Baldwin don’t have the complete package the top couples possess. They do have that unique throw, however, and it was even better at the Olympics than at nationals.

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“I knew before we stepped on the ice what would happen,” said Baldwin, who pumped his fist when Inoue landed smoothly.

Baldwin motioned for the fans, including first lady Laura Bush — to stand up at the conclusion of the program. Whenever he saw an American flag — or a familiar face from the States — he paused to acknowledge them. And their cheers.

The other Americans, Marcy Hinzmann and Aaron Parchem, were 13th after he fell on side-by-side triple toe loops.

Germany’s Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy struggled and were seventh, perhaps distracted by coach Ingo Steuer’s alleged ties to the East German secret police in the 1980s. Steuer got a court order allowing him to work with the couple here.

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