Shen, Zhao set record in ice dance short program

Shen and Zhao's performance was so good that they showed it three times on NHK. It was powerful and elegant. The German and Russian pairs were also good. Can't wait to see the free routine.

Interesting is that the crowd were booing when they saw that the jury gave a lower score to the German couple than the Chinese. I wouldn't be surprised if there is something foul about the many Chinese won medals.

Russia’s Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov are in third place, giving them a chance to continue what has to be one of the longest winning streaks in sports.

Japan refused Japanese nationality to Kawaguchi's Russian partner in 1999, but Russia gave Russian nationality to Kawaguchi, so now Russia will get the medal for the Russian-Japanese pair.

I so hope the Russian pair get a medal. Japan needs to wake up with immigration and dual citizenship.

I wouldn't be surprised if there is something foul about the many Chinese won medals.

Yes, I remember all the venom and jealously directed at the Chinese at the last summer Olympics. It hurts when your own country is not doing well.

By the way, I really do wish the Japanese would stop calling the Russian skater Kawaguchi Yuuko and call her Yuko Kavaguti. Russians do not put their surnames before their given names.

The Japanese have their own pair in the dancing section - including the American who should have handed in her American passport ages ago, thus allowing her to retain her Japanese citizenship.

NHK can also start writing Kavaguti in katakana, and stop with the kanji. I liked how NHK interviewed her afterward, and practically ignored her partner. Rather like how waiters deal with Japanese female customers and their western husbands.

In Olympics, if you are in the US, TV only shows US players, not Kiwi, nor French. It happens in any country. We cannot blame it, I realized.

Japan refused Japanese nationality to Kawaguchi's Russian partner in 1999, but Russia gave Russian nationality to Kawaguchi, so now Russia will get the medal for the Russian-Japanese pair.

Oh is that so? Probably Japan had some reasons to refuse or his case was not suitable in the law. It is all right. It is life.

tmarie at 09:18 PM JST - 15th February

I so hope the Russian pair get a medal. Japan needs to wake up with immigration and dual citizenship.

I do hope any good pair get a medal. Why does tmarie want to change Japan? It sounds strange. Each nation has its own law under consequence of its own history and geografic location. Many countries forbid dual citizenship and even PR visa for national security reason, as you know. We are so lucky because we are not in communist country. So many people in this world can't view this drama and beauty. Let's enjoy Olympic and learn something from the players.

We are so lucky because we are not in communist country.

In many aspects a communist country is a good country.

NHK can also start writing Kavaguti in katakana, and stop with the kanji.

Good point. At least Fuji and Nippon Television were showing here name in Katakana. We all know NHK is just a government run TV anyway, and the real stations are all the others.

I liked how NHK interviewed her afterward, and practically ignored her partner.

Another reason to hate NHK. At least Fuji tried to interview her partner, and then he said something in Russian, but unfortunately there were no Russian translators so he just walked away. On BS1 today, they had a lengthy interview with her Russian coach (who was a gold medal winner herself a long time ago).

victoria3188: "In Olympics, if you are in the US, TV only shows US players, not Kiwi, nor French. It happens in any country. We cannot blame it, I realized."

Not true. There is indeed a certain amount of bias in every country's national broadcasting of such events, but in multi-cultural nations they show a wider variety of sports, and certainly show events that their athletes are not in. That can't be expected in the same way with Japan, given that this nation is a homogenous nation with only 1.9% being foreigners (and many of those PERMANENT residents). They SHOULD air more events, and the WHOLE of the events they air and not just the Japanese athletes then move on to Hatoyama and Ozawa scandals, but hey.

I thought the Chinese pair was amazing -- flawless routine, and looked very good on the ice.

Victroia, you are very wrong about what others countries show during the Olympics.

I am also not trying to change Japan - I wish Japan would hange itself as it is very, very far behind in terms of international standards when it comes to dual nationality and immigration. But continue to keep your head in the sand like your fellow countrymen.

They SHOULD air more events

Well, they showed snowboard cross early this morning, and showed every single men's mogul run on BS1 yesterday. They even showed the U.S. vs. China women's ice hockey game yesterday. Shall I go on?

you are very wrong about what others countries show

tmarie: Do you mean, "you are very wrong about what other countries show"?

I wish Japan would hange itself

Pretty strong words. I wouldn't ask any country to "hang" itself.

victoria3188:

"In Olympics, if you are in the US, TV only shows US players, not Kiwi, nor French. It happens in any country. We cannot blame it, I realized."

Absolutely not true ! Here in the US NBC is giving ample time to events where Americans have never medaled and still have no chance ! Just tonight they aired the Canada/Swiss womens hockey game here in the US. While in Japan I was constantly amazed at how poor the Olympic coverage was. Team Japan 24-7 ! I'd tell my Japanese friends about some of the other athletes in the events and they'd look at me like, "why should we care ? they're not japanese" ! I've seen this in every world Cup soccer tournement also- the Japanese media completely focused on Japan, what a shame !

I'm pretty sure tmarie meant 'change'

While in Japan I was constantly amazed at how poor the Olympic coverage was.

Branded: Does this mean you are in the U.S. now? If so, how is it possible for you to watch Fuji terebi?

Really zannen deshita! I would have loved to see Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov make the first! But those Chinese are good acrobats by nature! You have to leave it to them!