Chinese veterans Pang Qing and Tong Jian insisted they will continue to compete despite overseeing the demise of China’s domination of pairs skating at the world figure skating championship which finish here Saturday.
The 32-year-olds had been in the running for a third world title after 2006 and 2010 but errors in their free skate on Friday night saw the Olympic silver medallists drop to fourth from second after Wednesday’s short programme.
It was the first time in 14 years China had failed to secure a worlds podium in the event since Olympic and three-time world champions Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo opened the way for the Asian superpower at Helsinki in 1999.
The pair’s lack of international competition this season showed as they made their comeback from injury in “disastrous” fashion. Tong fell on a triple toeloop and Pang singled an axel during their performance to Sheherazade.