HAPPY ENDING
GANGNEUNG — It was likely the last competitive skate of their outstanding careers, and when Canada’s Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford struck their final pose over the Olympic rings at centre ice, Duhamel collapsed on one knee and cried.
It was sense of fulfillment eight years in the making.
Duhamel and Eric Radford captured the bronze medal in pairs figure skating at the Pyeongchang Olympics on Thursday, in their Olympic finale.
“It’s the sweetest (ending) it could possibly be right now,” Radford said. “I don’t think that there’s any better way.”
“I don’t think there’s been happier bronze medallists than we are,” Duhamel said through a wide smile.
“We couldn’t have asked for more from this competition and from ourselves,” added Radford. “I think we’re going to be able to retire and always look back on our skating career feeling complete and happy.”
Skating to Adele’s “Hometown Glory,” an old favourite program they decided to resurrect just weeks ago, the two-time world champions scored 153.33 points, for a total 230.15, becoming Canada’s first Olympic pairs medallists since Jamie Sale and David Pelletier won gold in 2002 in Salt Lake City.
Germany’s Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot, who started the day in fourth, laid down a world-record long program score of 159.31, to win gold with 235.90, while reigning world champions Sui Wenging and Han Cong of China took silver with 235.47.
Duhamel, from Lively, Ont., and Radford, from Balmertown, Ont., were third after the short program, but six teams were all less than three points behind them. They executed a beautiful throw quadruple Salchow — becoming the only team to ever land one at an Olympics — in an almost flawless program. The one blip was when Duhamel touched her hands down on their side-by-side triple Lutzes.
Her emotions at centre ice, Duhamel said, were about “Just enjoying the moment. I couldn’t have dreamt it that much better. We came to the Olympics and we just delivered four amazing performances. Four out of four.”
“And we saved the best for last,” Radford added.
They were skating just a few days after helping Canada to gold in the team event.
The Canadians were gracious in congratulating Germany’s gold medallists — Duhamel wrapped Savchenko in a huge hug, telling her “You did it. I’m so proud of you.”
“We have so much respect for them, she’s my idol, and they deserve it and they delivered a great performance, and we’re so so happy,” Duhamel said.