China and Japan once again split the four figure skating gold medals on offer when the event ended here on Saturday at the 6th Asian Winter Games.

Former world champions Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo are the only champions remained in their probably last Asian Games as all winners from last Games in Aomori, Japan four years ago either retired or turned professional.

Shen and Zhao, 2002 and 2003 world champions, eased to the pairs title for the fourth time running while Xu Ming gave China a men's singles gold by beating Chinese veteran Li Chengjiang.

Japan had the women's singles glory on Friday through their 21-year-old Yukari Nakano and ice dancing gold went to Nozomi Watanabe and Akiyuki Kido.

"We had a good result, clinching two gold medals. The Chinese athletes, however, have to see that there is a gap between them and the Japanese skaters in terms of presentation," said Wang Yumin, figure skating official with the State General Administration of Sports.

"What made me the most satisfied is that our young skaters did a good job," he said.

The Chinese ace pair, dancing to the music of Meditation from Thais, collected 126.06 points for their free skate, winning the title in a total of 195.55.

"We tried our best today and are satisfied with it although it was not perfect," said Shen.

"But anyways, it is a memorable experience since it will be the last time we perform in the Games," she said.

Shen, 28, and Zhao, 34, once said they would temporarily leave the national team after two bronze medals from two Olympics in Salt Lake City and Turin.

Last year's world champions Pang Qing and Tong Jian made a little mistake and finished second in 181.47 with 115.82 from free skate before 17-year-old Li Jiaqi and Xu Jiankun, 21, were ranked in third in 144.20 including 89.21 from tonight's free skate.

In the first competition on Saturday, World University Games bronze medalist Xu Ming of China lifted the men's singles title.

With Takeshi Honda hanging up his skates and Japan's ace skater Daisuke Takahashi, runner-up in the World Cup Finals, missed the Games in preparation for the up-coming World Championships, the men's race for victory looked open.

Xu, 25, topping the short program the day before, surprised more experienced Li, silver medalist in last Games to win.

Li acquired the same position as he did last time and Nakaniwa Kensukeof Japan, fourth after the short program, took bronze.

With Chinese champions Zhang Weina and Cao Xianming retiring, Watanabe, 36, and Kido, 32, turned their ice dancing silver from last Games into a gold, leaving Chinese youngsters Huang Xintong and Zheng Xun as well as Yu Xiaoyang and Wang Chen to the second and third places.

Fumie Suguri still had to settle for a women's singles silver as last time despite the fact that Turin Olympic champion Shizuka Arakawa turned profession in May last year.

Source: Xinhua