Team USA fell short of the pairs figure skating podium on Saturday, with one of two duos performing a top-notch free skate routine that wasn't enough to down five teams from two counties -- China and Russia -- in the final.
Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier, who nailed their opening short program a day ago, scored a 138.45 in their free skate for a total score of 212.68, good enough for sixth place. The other USA duo, Timothy Leduc and Ashley Cain-Gribble, stumbled in their skate, earning a 123.92 and finished in eighth place of 16 pairs competing in the event with a total score of 198.05.
China and ROC dominated the ice in this one. China's Wenjing Su and Cong Han followed up on their record-breaking performance Friday with a 155.47 in the free skate, earning a total 239.88 score. The duo won silver at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and finished with a short-program record score of 84.41 in Beijing.
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Also topping the previous record: ROC's Evgeniya Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, with a score of 84.25 to finish second in the short program. That duo finished with the silver medal overall, earning a 155.00 score in the free skate on Saturday. And Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galiamov, who stood in third place after Friday's skate, held their bronze spot on the podium with a dazzling pairs free dance.
Check out the highlights from the top pairs' performances at the 2022 Winter Olympics below.
Knierim and Frazier finish sixth in pairs competition
A scintillating free skate performance by Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier yields 138.45 points for a total of 212.68 points and a sixth-place finish in the pairs competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Cain-Gribble and LeDuc fall short in pair skating finals
Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc of USA face several mistakes in their routine in the pair skating finals.
China's Sui and Han lead after dazzling short program
China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong dazzle with their routine in the pairs short program at the 2022 Winter Olympics. The pair is in first place going into the free skate.
Tarasova, Morozov in second, lead ROC into free skate
Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov finish second in the short program. The pair are in second and lead the ROC's pairs going into the free skate.
ROC's Mishina and Galliamov perform solid short program
Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov perform a solid routine during the pairs short program to land them in third place going into the free skate.
Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc shine in short program
American figure skaters Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc shine in the pairs short program at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Cain-Gribble and LeDuc scored 74.13 points.
Knierim, Frazier light up seeing their loved ones back home
After an electric pairs short program, Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier are thrilled to connect with their loved ones back home in the United States.
