Ice dance records and Elise Christie tumble alike
The British speed skater's Winter Olympics ended in more misery, but Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir bowed out in style in the ice dance competition.
Action on the ice at the Winter Olympics on Tuesday ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous as Elise Christie's latest mishap followed a record-breaking ice dance competition.
Christie has now ended all three of her short-track speed skating events across this and the previous Games having either crashed out or been disqualified.
Nursing an ankle injury after her 1500m elimination, Christie managed to squeeze both into her 1000m heat, gingerly falling before the first corner and then suffering disqualification after coming second when her race was restarted.
The scenes were far more dignified in the ice dance where Canadian duo Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's comeback was covered in golden glory.
GOLDEN GOODBYE FOR CANADA'S ICE DANCE ICONS
Virtue and Moir won an emotional gold on home ice in Vancouver eight years ago, but had retired in the aftermath of a silver-medal effort in Sochi.
However, their decision to resume their careers paid off in spectacular fashion on Tuesday as they held off French duo Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron in a stunning final.
Papadakis and Cizeron set a new world record in the free skate section of the competition, having missed out on top spot in the short dance after Papadakis' dress had come undone during their routine.
The French pair's efforts fell just short though as Virtue and Moir's routine nudged them less than a point ahead, likely giving their careers another golden goodbye.
"We're going to wait until the dust settles after the Olympic Games," said Moir.
"We will not be at the world championships, we are going to run like hell. I don't think we will compete against Gabby and Guillaume again. In fact, I think I have shaved 10 years off my life competing against them."
Maia and Alex Shibutani of the United States finished third.
CHRISTIE CRUSHED, DUTCH SNEAK BRONZE
Christie has endured a miserable campaign, and her disqualification for two penalties as she forced her way through the field was a somewhat fitting end. The Briton, who later revealed her ankle injury ought to have been rested for six weeks, is determined to compete in Beijing in four years' time.
She said: "I'm in a different place to Sochi. This is just short track and I'm a world champion and a world record holder and I've proved myself. I just really wanted to bring it home for Britain. It would have meant the world to me. I'm devastated that I couldn't."
The drama on the speed-skating track was not over. South Korea brought home gold in the ladies' 3000m relay, but it was Netherlands' placing in the bronze-medal position that was all the more intriguing.
The Dutch had not done enough to make the A final, but won the B final in a world-record time of four minutes and 3.471 seconds.
Their efforts counted for even more after the Canadian and Chinese teams were penalised in the subsequent race, elevating them to the podium.
ON THE TOP STEP
Medals were dished out in three more events on Tuesday, Cassie Sharpe taking an emotional gold for Canada in the ski halfpipe, later commemorating it to compatriot Sarah Burke, who had campaigned for the event's Olympic inclusion at Sochi, but passed away after a training accident.
Germany completely dominated the Nordic combined, with Johannes Rydzek taking gold ahead of countrymen Fabian Riessle and Eric Frenzel.
France took victory in the mixed relay biathlon, with Martin Fourcade starring en route to his fifth Olympic gold medal.
The 29-year-old soldier had already won the 12.5km pursuit and 15km mass start events.