With a smile, Zhu wins China’s applause in redemption skate at Winter Olympics

Chinese spectators at the Capital Indoor Stadium cheered and applauded after she managed to stay standing following her opening combination jump, a move that sent her crashing into the wall last week. — Reuters

BEIJING: China’s US-born figure skater Zhu Yi came back with a smile on Tuesday after her earlier flop on the Olympic ice, earning rousing applause from the hometown crowd at the Beijing Games, even though she was unlikely to qualify for the free skate.

Skating to The Rolling Stones’ Paint It Black, the same routine she tumbled in during last week’s team event, Zhu botched her landing in her opening triple flip-triple toeloop jump on Feb 15 but at least she did not fall, and later completed a triple loop well, earning 53.44.