Figure Skating-Fear and Gibson end decades-long British ice dance world medal drought
BOSTON, March 29 (Reuters) - Britain's Lilah Fear was still shaking long after she and partner Lewis Gibson skated to a breathtaking ice dance bronze medal at the World Figure Skating Championships on Saturday to end a British drought of more than 40 years.
Fear and Gibson entertained the TD Garden crowd with their free dance to a Beyonce medley for a total score of 207.11 to earn Britain's first world ice dance medal since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean's run of four straight through to 1984.
"I cried non-stop," said the 25-year-old Fear. "I can't even describe my feelings. I'm still shaking. Its a dream come true, and I'm kind of in disbelief. But I'm so grateful for the results.
"What? Fun fact of the day," she added referring to Britain's long wait for a medal.
Torvill and Dean, who shot to fame with a riveting "Bolero" program to win gold at the 1984 Winter Olympics, still skate in shows, but are about to embark on a farewell tour -- "Torvill and Dean, Our Last Dance" -- that opens in London on April 11.
Torvill told the BBC recently she hoped to hand the baton to Fear and Gibson before she and Dean retired, saying the young skaters who were fourth at the previous two world championships have "taken ice dancing in Great Britain to another level."
The 30-year-old Gibson also called Saturday's breakthrough a dream come true. "The crowd here was amazing, and insane," he said. "I think we got to the moment we really worked for, they were so loud and supportive, we are thankful to the audience."
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