Duhamel, Radford capture Olympic figure skating bronze

Canadians Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford captured a bronze medal in the pairs event at the Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on Thursday.

The two-time world champions, who are competing in their final season, scored 153.33 points for their free program to Adele's Hometown Glory, and 230.15 total points.

"It's the sweetest [ending] it could possibly be right now," Radford said. "I don't think that there's any better way."

"I don't think there've been happier bronze medallists than we are," added Duhamel.

Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot, who started the day just 0.23 points behind the Canadians, won gold with 235.90 while reigning world champions Sui Wenging and Han Cong of China took silver with 235.47.

Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, representing Russia, were second after Wednesday's short program but fell to fourth place Thursday.

Duhamel and Radford were third after the short program, five-and-a-half points behind the leaders.

Trio of Canadians crack top 10

Canadians Julianne Seguin and Charlie Bilodeau moved up from 12th to 8th (204.02) and Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro jumped from 13th to 10th at 198.11.

It was the second trip to the podium for Duhamel and Radford in Pyeongchang, as they also helped Canada win gold in the team event.

Duhamel, 32, and Radford, 33, had alluded to retirement, saying after Wednesday's pairs short program they hoped to go out on a high note and they were able to deliver on that goal.

"We couldn't have asked for more from this competition and from ourselves," added Radford. "I think we're going to be able to retire and always look back on our skating career feeling complete and happy."

Overcome by emotion

Duhamel, from Lively, Ont., and Radford, from Balmertown, Ont., executed a beautiful quadruple throw Salchow in a virtually clean program, and after they struck what could be their final competitive pose, Duhamel knelt on one knee, overcome by emotion.

"Oh my God, just enjoying the moment," Duhamel said. "I couldn't have dreamt it that much better. I mean, I could have dreamt it without my hands down on my triple Lutz. But we came to the Olympics and we just delivered four amazing performances. Four out of four."

They became Canada's first Olympic pairs medallists since Jamie Sale and David Pelletier won gold in 2002 in Salt Lake City.

North Korean pair delight crowd

North Korean pairs skaters Ryom Tae Ok and Kim Ju Sik finished their Olympic program with a season-best free skate (193.63), delighting their cheering section in the upper level of Gangneung Ice Arena.

The couple, who spent eights weeks last summer training alongside Duhamel and Radford in Montreal, qualified for the Olympics on merits after finishing third at last month's Four Continents. They were also 15th at last year's world championships.

Their triple toeloop-double toeloop combination was a bit shaky, and their timing was off on their side-by-side double axel, but they mostly landed all of their elements.

They finished 12th overall.