China claims gold in pairs at world figure skating

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:06 a.m. ET

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China won the free skate to claim the gold medal in pairs at the figure skating world championships on Thursday.

Skating to "Rain in Your Black Eyes" by Ezio Bosso, Wenjing and Cong produced a near-flawless free skate and received 155.60 points for a total of 234.84.

Russian skaters Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov took the silver with 228.47 points followed by compatriots Alexander Enbert and Natalia Zabiiako with 217.98.

China's Peng Cheng and Jin Yang came fourth in 215.84.

The men's short program is later Thursday. Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan seeks a third world title beginning with the short program.