Bursting from the shadow of her adored
teammate, Adelina Sotnikova gave Russia its first gold medal in women's Olympic figure skating.
While much-heralded Julia Lipnitskaia was stumbling, the 17-year-old Sotnikova soared. When she won the free skate Thursday at the Sochi Games, she denied South Korea's Yuna Kim from defending her title and confirmed Russian command of the sport once more.
"This is the happiest day in my life," Sotnikova said. "I simply stepped on the ice today and realized how much I like what I'm doing and skated really good."
The Russians have won three figure skating gold medals at these Olympics: team, pairs and women's.
Only this latest one was a surprise. A huge surprise.
Sotnikova, 2 years older than Lipnitskaia but far less accomplished, was considered a long shot against the likes of Kim, Italy's Carolina Kostner, who took bronze, Japan's Mao Asada and even Americans Gracie Gold and Ashley Wagner.
But Sotnikova, seemingly far more relaxed than nearly every other competitor, won it all, giving Russia or the Soviet Union 27 Olympic gold medals. They own five men's golds, 13 in pairs, seven in ice dance, and took the first team event this year.
Read more: Winter Olympics 2014: Russia surprises with Olympic gold in women's figure skating, U.S. pushed out of medals - CBS News
While much-heralded Julia Lipnitskaia was stumbling, the 17-year-old Sotnikova soared. When she won the free skate Thursday at the Sochi Games, she denied South Korea's Yuna Kim from defending her title and confirmed Russian command of the sport once more.
"This is the happiest day in my life," Sotnikova said. "I simply stepped on the ice today and realized how much I like what I'm doing and skated really good."
The Russians have won three figure skating gold medals at these Olympics: team, pairs and women's.
Only this latest one was a surprise. A huge surprise.
Sotnikova, 2 years older than Lipnitskaia but far less accomplished, was considered a long shot against the likes of Kim, Italy's Carolina Kostner, who took bronze, Japan's Mao Asada and even Americans Gracie Gold and Ashley Wagner.
But Sotnikova, seemingly far more relaxed than nearly every other competitor, won it all, giving Russia or the Soviet Union 27 Olympic gold medals. They own five men's golds, 13 in pairs, seven in ice dance, and took the first team event this year.
Read more: Winter Olympics 2014: Russia surprises with Olympic gold in women's figure skating, U.S. pushed out of medals - CBS News
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