Layoff Doesn’t Hurt Italian Ice Dancers

Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio, Italy’s favorite ice dancers who returned to competition after three years off, wowed the crowd and the judges Friday night in the Olympic compulsory dance. With Italian flags waving throughout the packed arena, the 2002 bronze medalists waltzed their way back to the top, at least for now.

“We are in front, and the others must do better,” Margaglio said.

“In Italy, we talk every day about soccer,” Fusar Poli added. “But there are a lot of people who like skating, and you could see that with the amazing crowd.”

Indeed, scalpers were hawking tickets outside the arena. Inside, it was bedlam when the Italians, skating 19th out of 24 couples, surged to the top. Shouts of “Italia, Italia” shook the building, and both skaters cried when they saw their marks.

Their performance outdistanced U.S. medal hopefuls Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, who were sixth. Original dance is Sunday, with free dance Monday night.

The Canadian-born Belbin, who received her U.S. citizenship Dec. 31, and Agosto were just 1.42 points out of first place, hardly insurmountable at this point.

“We’re definitely all within striking distance of the podium,” Belbin said.

Second were world champions Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov of Russia.