WORLD CHAMPIONS

Residence: Beijing, China
Birth Date:

Xue: November 13, 1978

Hongbo: September 22, 1973

Birth Place: Harbin, China

Competitive Highlights

2007 Asian Winter Games – 1st
2007 World Championships – 1st
2007 Four Continents Championships – 1st
2007 Grand Prix Final – 1st
2006 Winter Olympics – 3rd
2006 NHK Trophy – 1st
2006 Cup of China – 1st
2005 Grand Prix Final – 1st
2004 World Championships – 2nd
2004 Trophee Eric Bompard – 1st
2004 Cup of China – 1st
2004 Grand Prix Final – 1st
2003 Four Continents Championships – 1st
2003 World Championships – 1st
2002 World Championships – 1st
2002 Winter Olympics – 3rd
2002 Grand Prix Final – 2nd
2002 Chinese National Championships – 1st
2001 Four Continents Championships – 2nd
2001 World Championships – 3rd
2001 Grand Prix Final – 3rd
2001 Chinese National Championships – 1st
2000 World Championships – 2nd
2000 Grand Prix Final – 1st
1999 World Championships – 2nd
1999 Chinese National Championships – 1st
1998 Olympic Winter Games – 5th
1998 Chinese National Championships – 1st
1997 Chinese National Championships – 1st
1996 Chinese National Championships – 1st
1994 Chinese National Championships – 1st
1993 Chinese National Championships – 1st

Throughout the history of figure skating there have been many standing ovations, but precious few that began more than 20 seconds before the end of the program. That is why so many people recall the scene at the 2003 World Figure Skating Championships in Washington, DC, when spectators rose to their feet as pair skaters Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao were still performing the final elements of their long program. Earlier in the week, Shen had suffered a foot injury in practice that left her barely able to walk, but she somehow managed to skate.

“To quit was not an option for me,” Shen told International Figure Skating magazine. A pain killing injection left her with little feeling in her foot, but somehow the magical energy between she and Zhao carried them to the greatest performance of their career. “The audience was touched by Xue’s spirit,” Zhao told IFS.

Three years later, it was Zhao’s chance to show his resolve. In the summer of 2005, he had suffered a potentially career-ending injury, a torn Achilles tendon, but through sheer determination he recovered in time for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, where the duo won their second consecutive Olympic bronze medal.

In fact, their entire career is testament to their supreme talent and diligent training. When coach Bin Yao teamed up Shen and Zhao in 1992, the Chinese skating program was still in its formative stages. They would become part of history. Two years later, Lu Chen won the nation’s first Olympic medal and in 1995 became China’s first World Champion. In 1996, Shen and Zhao’s performances at the World Championships caught people’s attention, and by the time they placed fifth at the 1998 Winter Olympics, they were considered a team with great potential.

Originally known solely for their technical proficiency, Yao knew his skaters needed to improve their artistry in order to compete at the highest level and impress the international judges. The first Western choreographer to work with the pair was Emmy and Gemini award winner Sandra Bezic.

“It was before they could speak any English so their coach, Bin Yao, spent the entire time on the ice with us translating,” Bezic recalls. “Michael Seibert joined me because we thought a demonstration would be an easier way to convey ideas. I remember we laughed a lot as we all tried to understand each other. They were so surprised to see that when doing choreography you could spend an hour or more on just a few counts of music to get it exactly right. They were like sponges absorbing all the new information. That’s the only time I have worked with them and they were a delight.”

They next worked with choreographer Lea Ann Miller, who created the Turandot program that carried them to their World titles in 2002 and ’03. Lori Nichol created their most recent competitive programs. Last March, they capped their remarkable career by winning their third World title in Tokyo. “The memory of Washington in 2003 we will never forget in our lives. In my opinion, 2003 was our breakthrough, and this year is the perfect ending,” Shen told Spotlight on Skating magazine.

“Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao redefined modern pair skating. Their technical and artistic superiority is unmatched and will continue to be for years to come,” said former U.S. Pair Champion Garrett Lucash.

Was the 2007 World title the end of their competitive career? With seven World medals, two Olympic medals, three Four Continents titles and five Grand Prix Final golds, they have left a permanent mark on the sport. They have not yet decided on whether they will compete again. They will spend the 2007-08 season showing off their performance skills on tour with Smucker’s Stars on Ice and Canada’s Stars on Ice. They are also enjoying life as newlyweds.

At the conclusion of their 2007 free skate, Zhao dropped to one knee and offered his partner a romantic proposal, but she didn’t know what the Western gesture meant so it was not until later that she said yes.  On May 28, 2007, this golden pair got married in China.

In July 2007, Shen and Zhao opened a school in Shenzhen, China, where they will train coaches to teach skaters from beginners to the elite level. They look forward to sharing their skating with the world for several more years before making a full-time commitment to coaching. When they do begin to teach full-time, no doubt they will demonstrate the same dedication that has been their trademark.