CHORLEY figure skater Stacey Kemp and on and off-ice partner David King believe they are in the Winter Olympics for better or for worse – and are ready to make up for their first day disappointment when they take to the ice in Sochi tonight.

Kemp and King skated in the team event on Thursday but that programme in the team event was ruined by a fall.

And while King admits they made a stuttering start to their Olympic campaign with their short programme in the team competition they will carry on regardless this evening performing the same routine.

They aren’t the only couple who are a couple in Sochi, but King says it’s not always easy.

“We have a few paired teams that ask us for advice because it is very difficult skating and living together,” he added.

“Being a couple means there is a lot to juggle, but we try and separate our personal lives from business.

“I love the camaraderie we’ve got in the rink and when you’re out on the ice all your worries just melt away.

“As long as we get our personal best we’ll be happy.”

The couple missed 17 weeks of action between them last season and a difficult schedule ensued. In fact, they were so busy that they’ve yet to walk down the aisle.

“At the British Championships last year we were a shell of a team and we were just happy to be on the ice for the European and World Championships,” said King.

“This year we’ve got no real excuses, we worked really hard to get where we are at right now and we had a great Olympic qualifier.

“We started early, we prepared early and we peaked at the right time for that. That’s the key as athletes. You can’t win every battle, but you’ve got to win the war.”

Kemp and King admitted they made a stuttering start to their Olympic campaign with their short programme in the team competition and will be back in action – performing the same routine – this evening.

Kemp still remembers her first meeting with the man who has now been at her side at two Olympics and soon will be at her side at the altar.

“I was only 14 at the time, so I was still very young and I was shy. I didn’t know David but things just grew,” said the 25-year-old.

“At the start it was difficult being a couple and skating together but now I think it works to our advantage.

“Usually when we leave the rink, everything stays at the rink. We go home and that’s our own time.”

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