In the end, the Chinese and Germans claimed the medals with Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo taking gold and fellow Chinese pair Pang Qing and Tong Jian scoring silver. Germans Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy took bronze.
But leaving the ice after their program, knowing their scores would likely be beat by the top ranked pairs coming on after them, was a victory in itself both American pairs said.
“To be here and experience what I just experienced at 16 was a lot of fun and amazing,” said Caydee Denney who went in ranked 14 out of 20 with partner Jeremy Barrett.
“I thought it was very good and we did the best that we could out there today,” she said of their performance.
Barrett said the pair wasn't expecting to medal but did want to come out and give their best performance.
Denney and Barett finished in 13th, while Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig finished in 10th.
One reporter questioned how the Americans could stop their continued decline in the ranks as teams like the Chinese continue to outperform much of the world.
“They’re great teams but that comes with experience,” said Barrett. “I don't think the U.S. is in a decline. I think if you look at the national Championships a couple weeks ago, I think it was a really strong event.”
Denney suggested that another four years “under our belt, maybe then we can start progressing that way.”
The other American team of Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig also skated well, leaving the rink happy despite the slim prospects of a podium position.
“To be able to do it just the way we did it tonight is just one of the greatest feelings,” Ladwig said.
“I really savored more moments than I thought I would. I thought I'd be really inside the rink boards and I think I let all the people in and I let the cheers and applause in with the music,” he said.
Evora said she was really nervous going into the long program after being in tenth place following the short.
“I had actually put more pressure on myself than I probably should have,” she said. “But to go out there and compete under the pressure I put on myself, it was just a real success for me to know that I am capable of doing that, and doing more.”
Ladwig said they went out to do their best, and they succeeded at that, scoring two of their best personal scores in the Vancouver Olympics. “This competition means the world to us.”
While the Canadian teams certainly got their share of applause despite both pairs having falls, the loudest applause of the night went to the silver medal team of Qing Pang and Jian Tong. Their program was followed with an immediate standing ovation and thunderous roar.
