Zhang Hao

Zhang Hao
Zhang and Zhang in 2009.
Personal information
Full name	Zhang Hao
Country represented	China
Born	(1984-07-06) July 6, 1984[1] or (1982-02-06) February 6, 1982[2] (see also Age controversy below) Harbin
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Partner	Peng Cheng
Former partner	Zhang Dan Zhang Liyun
Coach	Yao Bin Chen Xiaofei
Former coach	Huan Bing Sun Lu
Choreographer	Lori Nichol
Former choreographer	Marina Zueva Igor Shpilband Renée Roca
Skating club	Harbin Skating Club
Began skating	1990
Season's bests	10 (2011–2012)[3] 6 (2009–2010)[4] 3 (2008–2009)[5]
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	197.37 2013–14 Grand Prix Final
Short program	68.87 2013–14 Grand Prix Final
Free skate	128.50 2013–14 Grand Prix Final
Medal record Competitor for  China Pairs' Figure skating Olympic Games Figure Skating Silver 2006 Turin Pairs World Championships Silver 2009 Los Angeles Pairs Silver 2008 Gothenburg Pairs Silver 2006 Calgary Pairs Bronze 2005 Moscow Pairs Four Continents Championships Gold 2010 Jeonju Pairs Bronze 2009 Vancouver Pairs Silver 2008 Goyang Pairs Gold 2005 Gangneung Pairs Silver 2004 Hamilton Pairs Bronze 2003 Beijing Pairs Bronze 2002 Jeonju Pairs Grand Prix Final Silver 2008–2009 Goyang Pairs Silver 2007–2008 Turin Pairs Bronze 2006–2007 St. Petersburg Pairs Silver 2005–2006 Tokyo Pairs World Junior Championships Gold 2003 Ostrava Pairs Gold 2001 Sofia Pairs Junior Grand Prix Final Gold 2001–2002 Bled Pairs Gold 2000–2001 Ayr Pairs

Olympic medal record
Competitor for  China
Pairs Figure skating
Silver	2006 Turin	Pairs

Zhang Hao (simplified Chinese: 张昊; traditional Chinese: 張昊; pinyin: Zhāng Hào; born July 6, 1984 in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China) is a Chinese pair skater. He currently competes with Peng Cheng. With former partner Zhang Dan, he is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, a two-time (2005, 2010) Four Continents champion, and a three-time (2006, 2008–2009) World silver medalist.

Career

Early career

Early in his career, Zhang Hao competed with Zhang Liyun. He teamed up with Zhang Dan, to whom he is not related, in 1997. They immediately had considerable success on the junior circuit, winning two medals on the Junior Grand Prix in their first year and placing 5th at the Junior Grand Prix Final. They also won the bronze medal at the 1999 Chinese national championships and the silver at the 2000 Chinese national championships.

In the 2000–2001 season, they won the Junior Grand Prix Final, placed third at nationals, and then won Junior Worlds.^[6] At the 2000 Junior Worlds, they performed a quadruple twist, the first quad twist ever performed at that event.

They stayed junior in the 2001–2002 season, winning the Junior Grand Prix Final yet again. They won the bronze medal at the 2002 Four Continents Championships and then went to the 2002 Olympics, where they placed 11th. They went to their first Worlds and came in 9th.

In the 2002–2003 season, they did both Junior and senior Grand Prix, due to ISU rules that pairs can do both in one season. They won the Junior Grand Prix event in China, then performed well at both their Grand Prix events, placing 4th in both of them. They went to Junior Worlds and once again won it before going to Worlds and placing 6th.

Following that season, Zhang and Zhang became serious contenders. They consistently medaled at their Grand Prix events. They won the 2005 Four Continents Championships and then won the bronze at the 2005 Worlds.

2005–2006 season: Olympic medalists

Zhang and Zhang went into the 2006 Olympics as medal contenders. During their free skate, Zhang Dan had a bad fall on their attempted throw quadruple salchow, a jump that was not consistent. Zhang Dan suffered a bad injury, but chose to finish the program. Although the delay between the fall and the continuation of the program was longer than the ISU-proscribed 2 minutes, they were not automatically withdrawn because the referee waited before stopping the music and beginning the official 2 minute wait. Zhang regrouped and was able to finish the program. They won the silver medal, placing ahead of defending Olympic medalists Shen Xue and Hongbo Zhao. At Worlds they won the silver, behind Pang Qing and Tong Jian.

2006–2012

In the 2006–2007 season, Zhang and Zhang placed first at Skate Canada, second at the NHK Trophy, and would go on to win the bronze medal at the Grand Prix Final. They placed 5th at the 2007 World Championships later that season. In the 2007–2008 and the 2008–2009 seasons, they won silver medals at both the Grand Prix Final and the World Championships.

At the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Zhangs placed 5th. They also finished fifth at 2010 World Championships.

Before the 2010–2011 season began, Zhang Hao broke his finger, forcing the team to pull out of their two Grand Prix assignments. He also dealt with some shoulder and cervical vertebra problems.^[7] The Zhangs returned to competition during the 2011–2012 season, winning silver medals at the 2011 Skate America and the 2011 Cup of China. They finished 4th at the 2011–12 Grand Prix Final.

Zhang Dan eventually became the tallest competing female pair skater.^[7] Her height proved to be a challenge for the pair, and in May 2012, it was announced that their partnership had ended and she was retiring from competition.^[8][9]

Partnership with Peng Cheng

In May 2012, Zhang Hao confirmed he had formed a new partnership with Peng Cheng.^[8][9]

Age controversy

Zhang and Zhang perform a triple twist

On February 14, 2011, the Zhangs' ages became the subject of controversy. Although his International Skating Union bio lists Zhang Hao as born on July 6, 1984, a Chinese skating association website suggested he was born on February 6, 1982.^[2] This would mean he was too old to compete in junior events during the 2002–03 season, such as the 2003 World Junior Championships where they won gold. His partner's age also came under scrutiny. Her ISU bio states that she was born on October 4, 1985 but the Chinese website suggested she was born on that day in 1987, meaning she was 14 and too young to compete in senior events during the 2001–02 season, such as the Four Continents where they won bronze, as well as the Olympics and World Championships.^[2] The dates disappeared from the website by February 15.^[10] On February 17, the ISU said there were no discrepancies for the Zhangs in terms of the birthdates listed on their passports, ISU registration forms and the Chinese Olympic Committee's website.^[10]

Programs

With Peng Cheng

With Zhang Dan

Competitive highlights

With Peng Cheng

With Zhang Dan

Detailed results

(With Peng Cheng)

• QR = Qualifying round; SP = Short program; FS = Free skating

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zhang Hao.

• Peng / Zhang at the International Skating Union
• Zhang / Zhang at the International Skating Union
• Official website (Chinese)