21.   The three Olympic pairs will be Marina Yeltsova and Andrei Bushkov, Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, and Oksana Kazakova with Artur Dmitriev.

22.   The two-time Olympic pairs champion, whose husband, Sergei Grinkov, died last November, previously competed in a pro team event.

23.   Two Olympic pairs berths are available.

24.   Unless the Chinese pull off a quad surprise and a lot of other difficult maneuvers, the Olympic pairs gold medal should come down to Russia vs. Canada.

25.   It was the first Olympic pairs medal for China.

26.   A tumble at the end of their opening short programme could have cost Canadian world champions Jamie Sale and David Pelletier the Olympic pairs title here on Saturday.

27.   Coxless pairs Olympic and World champions Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent left Belgians Jaak van Driessche and Luc Goirias trailing in the Silver Goblets final here on Sunday.

28.   Elswhere, a tumble at the end of their opening short programme may have cost Canadian world champions Jamie Sale and David Pelletier the Olympic pairs figure skating title.

29.   Redgrave wrote himself into the history books when he and Pinsent retained their Olympic coxless pairs title on Lake Lanier in Atlanta.

30.   The only difference was they were sharing the podium with Olympic pairs gold medallists Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, and there were no bronze medallists present.