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Li Chengjiang
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LI CHENGJIANG of China, a 21-year-old figure skater ranked fifth in the world, gained his first international victory outside of Asia by capturing the men's gold medal at the Four Continents Championships held in Salt Lake City, Utah in the United States on Friday.
Li was the only competitor to accomplish two separate quadruple jumps, a toe loop and salchow, in this test event of the 2002 Olympic figure skating facilities at the Delta Centre.
Li, the 1999 and 2000 silver medallist in this International Skating Union event, was delighted with his performance.
"I'm really pleased with my performance," he said. "I felt so relieved at the end. My practices have been going well this year but then I couldn't do it in competition. This is the second time since the NHK Trophy that I landed a quadruple salchow in competition."
Li presented a dynamic and stylish routine to jazzy percussion music by the Blue Men Group. On the advice of his coach, Li decided not to try for his triple lutz and triple flip.
But he didn't need them, especially in the absence of short programme leader Todd Eldredge due to an injured ankle.
Takeshi Honda of Japan, who won the inaugural Four Continents Championship in 1999, finished second. Michael Weiss, who had a disastrous showing in the USchampionships three weeks ago when he lost his US title to Tim Goebel, redeemed himself somewhat by taking the bronze. (SD-Agencies)
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