VANCOUVER, B.C. - Just days after the death of her mother, Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette put on a show at the Olympics.
The 24-year-old from Ile-Dupas, Que., scored a personal best with 71.36 points for her sultry tango in the women's short program. She collapsed in tears the moment she finished.
The six-time Canadian champion fought back tears when her name was announced in the warmup to huge applause, and again when she glided onto the ice.
She broke down the moment her emotional program ended, and then collapsed into the arms of her longtime coach Manon Perron.
Her mother Therese died of a massive heart attack soon after arriving in Vancouver. She was 55.
Earlier, reigning world champion Kim Yu-Na of South Korea scored a world-record 78.50 points for her short program to a "James Bond" medley.
