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World record holders Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov won the gold medal in pairs figure skating in Sochi on Wednesday, and their Russian teammates Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov took the silver. The heavily favoured duo put in an almost flawless performance to the delight of the crowd. Their score of 152.69 was only two points off of their own world record. Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov took the silver. Bronze went to the German duo of Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, the silver medallists four years ago in Vancouver. Two Canadian teams put in strong performances but finished just off the podium. Canadians Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch finished in fifth with a score of 131.18, and their Canadian teammates Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford came in seventh with a seasons best score of 127.32 for them. But the night belonged to Russia and Russian skating fans, with the world champions Volosozhar and Trankov adding to Russias medal haul from figure skating events. "This is a very special moment in our lives, to be skating in a Russian Olympics," Trankov said after their short program performance. Canadians Paige Lawrence and Rudi Swiegers, both from Saskatchewan, skated earlier and put up a score of 103.01 after a few small missteps. With files from The Associated Press Wholesale Nike Air Max From China . -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans. Discount Nike Air Max Wholesale . -- Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo is going to the Pro Bowl as a replacement for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks. https://www.wholesalenikeairmaxshoes.com/.com) - Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending May 11. Nike Air Max Sale .J. -- John Elway says Peyton Manning cannot stamp himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history even if he wins the Super Bowl on Sunday. Cheap Nike Air Max Outlet .? It was his second straight start for the Jets; he suffered a 1-0 loss against Minnesota Monday. So this season Hutchinson has now won games in the ECHL, AHL and NHL. He was perfect three- for-three in the shootout to nail down the win.Olympic figure skating champion Brian Boitano came out on Thursday, two days after he was named to the U.S. delegation for Sochi along with openly gay athletes Billie Jean King and Caitlin Cahow. The 1988 gold medallist had always kept his personal life private, saying in a statement that "being gay is just one part of who I am." But President Barack Obamas decision to include openly gay athletes in the delegation for the opening and closing ceremonies -- and not send high-ranking officials -- was widely seen as a message to Russia about its treatment of gays and lesbians. "First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance," Boitano said in his statement. "As an athlete, I hope we can remain focused on the Olympic spirit which celebrates achievement in sport by peoples of all nations." Russia has come under fierce criticism for passing national laws banning "gay propaganda," and some suggested the United States should boycott the Sochi Olympics in protest. Obama rejected that idea earlier this year, saying a stronger statement could be made by "gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze." But his choices for the U.S. delegation left little doubt about Obamas disapproval of the new Russian law. For the first time since 2000, the U.S. will not send a president, former president, first lady or vice-president to the Olympics. This years group is led by former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and others in the delegation include U..ddddddddddddS. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, deputy Secretary of State William Burns and presidential adviser Rob Nabors. Of the five athletes in the delegation, three -- Boitano, King and Cahow -- are openly gay. Boitano and King will attend the opening ceremony. Cahow, a two-time medallist in womens hockey, will attend the closing ceremony with Olympic speed skating champions Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden. "I have been fortunate to represent the United States of America in three different Olympics, and now I am honoured to be part of the presidential delegation to the Olympics in Sochi," Boitano, who is in Europe, said in his statement. "It has been my experience from competing around the world and in Russia that Olympic athletes can come together in friendship, peace and mutual respect regardless of their individual countrys practices." Earlier this month, IOC President Thomas Bach said Russia would set up public protest zones in Sochi for "people who want to express their opinion or want to demonstrate for or against something." Meanwhile, the IOC approved a letter going out to athletes reminding them to refrain from protests or political gestures during the Sochi Games -- reiterating Rule 50 of the Olympic charter, which forbids demonstrations on Olympic grounds. Bach previously said hed received assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that gays will not be discriminated against in Sochi. But the Russian law has raised questions about what could happen to athletes who wear pins or badges or carry flags supporting gay rights. ' ' '