GB ice dance duo Nick Buckland and Penny Coomes qualify for free skate
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Updated 19/02/2018 at 07:15 GMT
Team GB’s ice dancing duo Penny Coomes and Nick Buckland put in an impressive short dance display to qualify for Tuesday’s free skate.
Britain's Penny Coomes and Britain's Nicholas Buckland compete in the ice dance short dance of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 19
Image credit: Getty Images
The figure skating pair were ninth up on the ice, and their rhumba and samba routine scored 68.36 – enough to place them in the top 10.
Tuesday’s free skate is where the medals can be won and lost, and the Michigan-based duo will hope to be in the mix after a strong showing.
It caps a remarkable comeback for the dancers, with Coomes having suffered a smashed kneecap in June 2016, where she was told she would not be able to skate again.
Buckland also underwent heart surgery in the build-up to Sochi 2014, while a bout of pneumonia for Coomes meant they missed the 2015 World Championships.
“We’re so happy. It’s just so nice to be out there with the Olympic rings everywhere, all along the boards, up in the stadium,” said Coomes.
“There’s something really special, the crowd were great and we’re just so happy to be back.”
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Britain's Penny Coomes and Britain's Nicholas Buckland compete in the ice dance short dance of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games
Image credit: Getty Images
Meanwhile, Buckland added: “The score’s a little bit conservative, but we were taking part in the early group. But our technical score was great, we hit all our elements and we did our job today.
“I’m immensely proud [of Coomes]. We didn’t think we were going to be here 18 months ago. She’s done amazing.”
Meanwhile, Canadian ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir set a new short programme world record, improving on the mark they set last October. The new record stands at 83.67, the previous one was 82.68.
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