Canadian Pair Skaters Receive Gold Medals
VOA News
18 Feb 2002 05:17 UTC
Email this article to a friend Printer Friendly Version

<b>David Pelletier, left, and Jamie Sale</b>
David Pelletier, left, and Jamie Sale
Canadian figure skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier have received gold medals at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics -- six days after they won silver in a controversial pairs competition.

International Skating Union president Ottavio Cinquanta presented the medals to the Canadian pair at a special ceremony, as they stood side by side with the co-champion Russian team of Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze.

All four skaters smiled and held up their gold medals as the Russian and Canadian national anthems were played late Sunday in Salt Lake City early Monday.

The Russian team originally won last Monday's pairs figure skating event, placing ahead of the Canadians. But a judging scandal prompted the International Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union on Friday to award gold medals to the Canadian pair also. A French skating judge has been suspended for misconduct.

The skating union plans to meet Monday to discuss the judging controversy. Reuters news agency says union President Cinquanta will recommend a plan to overhaul the judging system for figure skating.

In medal competition Sunday, the United States won the gold and bronze medals in the women's 1,000 meters speed skating. Chris Witty set a world record to win the event and teammate Jennifer Rodriguez finished third. Sabine Voelker of Germany won silver.

Finland won the gold medal in Nordic and Christopher Langen and Markus Zimmermann of Germany took the gold in the two man bobsled.

In the women's Super-G alpine skiing, Italy won the gold and bronze medals as Daniela Ceccarelli finished in first place and Karen Putzer in third. Norway prevailed in the final leg of the 40-kilometer cross country relay to capture another gold medal.

Email this article to a friend
Printer Friendly Version