Figure skating-Papadakis and Cizeron win ice dance gold for France

BEIJING :Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron put their Pyeongchang heartbreak behind them as they won the figure skating ice dance gold for France with a world record at the Beijing Olympics on Monday.

The figure skating events have been almost completely overshadowed by Russian Kamila Valieva's positive doping test but the flamboyant French duo shone through the gloom, finishing with a total of 226.98 to eclipse their 2019 record (226.61).

A wardrobe malfunction cost them dearly four years ago in Pyeongchang, leaving them with the silver medal behind Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.

But there were no mishaps in a virtually flawless free dance at the Capital Indoor Stadium that earned 136.15 points and brought rival athletes and coaches to their feet in a standing ovation.

"I think we don't believe it yet," said an overjoyed Papadakis.

"Honestly, it feels completely unreal. We have been waiting for this. This is the medal that we wanted.

"My brain doesn't understand it," she added with a laugh.

Cizeron said he felt like time had stopped during their performance.

"We just relied on our trust, and we borrowed energy of all of our teammates and coaches. It's memories, it's eye contact that I will never forget," he said.

Skating to the dramatic piano and cello music of Gabriel Faure's Elegie, the four-times world champions once again dazzled with their silky, seductive dance, earning France a first Olympic figure skating gold since Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat took the ice dance title in 2002.

Reigning world champions Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov of the Russian Olympic Committee took the silver with a season's best score in their free skate for a total of 220.51.

U.S. pair Madison Hubbell and Zachary