For the United States, the Miracle on Ice was not in the Pairs Figure Skating competition….as the US medal favorites Tai Babilonia & Randy Gardner were forced to withdraw before the competition due to an injury to Gardner….while the legendary world champion Soviet Union pair Irina Rodnina & Alexander Zaitsev were challenged for gold by fellow countrymen Marina Cherkasova & Sergei Shakhrai and eventually winning the silver medal….as the East German pair of Manuela Mager & Uwe Bewersdorff broke up the Russian domination by narrowly edging out the USSR pair of Marina Pestova & Stanislav Leonovich for the bronze medal….while USA’s brother and sister act of Kitty and Peter Carruthers came in a very respectable 5th in the competition.
The ABC broadcast team for the pairs competition were legendary sports broadcaster Jim McKay and legendary USA figure skater Dick Buttons….as the fact remains that when you add this broadcasting team with the skating of the Russians at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games….you have dang near MUST SEE TV….at least for any ice skating fans….for the Soviets were really something very special to watch….as evidenced by the video below.
