Russia won its first gold medal of the Sochi Olympics on Sunday night in the brand new team figure skating event, with Canada and the United States taking home silver and bronze, respectively.
The Russian's victory was paved by four-time Olympian Evgeni Plushenko, 31, and Yulia Lipnitskaia, who, at the age of 15, burst onto the stage this year, placing first in both the ladies' free and short programs.
"I was calm," Lipnitskaia told ESPN, saying it was everyone else around her that was anxious. "I'm happy with my marks, the scores overall, for the team and for all of Russia. I am so pleased all the country could help me."
Of his teammate less than half his age, Plushenko said: "She is a genius."
Lipnitskaia's long program performance placed the victor a jaw-dropping 12 points ahead of the United States' Gracie Gold, 18, who came in second behind her Russian opponent.
Gold, however, had nothing but good things to say of Lipnitskaia.
"She's dynamite, guys," Gold told reporters of the Russian. "Let's be real. She's 15, she's completely unfazed. She has no spine, but she has iron in her bones."
Gold landed all of her 11 jumps during her long program to go on to score a personal best of 129.36 - an achievement she was clearly thrilled about as she broke into smiles.
Less elated was the controversial figure Ashley Wagner, who was picked for the team despite coming in fourth in the national championships in Boston last month. The skater was stunned when judges awarded her a score of 63.10 for her short program, mouthing the word "bulls***" as it appeared on the screen.
"It wasn't what I was really hoping for," Wagner told Andrea Joyce of NBC. "I know what the program is capable of and I know where the scores should be when I skate very well so I'll just take a look at the protocols."
Among those to watch the teams skate was none other than Russia's President Vladimir Putin, who came down after the event to shake hands with the athletes, including the Americans.
