Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao defend China’s reputation in Pairs figure skating.

　　Russia’s Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin won the world pairs figure skating gold medal after former winners Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo withdraw at the last minute.

　　The Chinese duo, world champions in 2002 and 2003, pulled out of the competition just before their final skate as Zhao was suffering from a foot injury.

　　Local favourites Totmianina and Marinin skated an inspired free programme to the music from Rimski-Korsakov’s ballet Sheherazade to win by more than 10 points over fellow Russians Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov.

　　Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao came third, while another Chinese pair Pang Qing and Tong Jian finished fourth.