Evan Lysacek stuns Plushenko to win Olympic gold

From James Toney, Sportsbeat, in Vancouver

AMERICAN Evan Lysacek has added Olympic figure skating gold to his world title - defeating Russia's Evgeni Plushenko on a night of high drama in Vancouver.

CHAMPION: Evan Lysacek moved from second into gold with a foot perfect free skate in Vancouver (Getty Images)

Plushenko is good, very good, and he certainly knows it and is happy to confirm it to anyone who asks.

But Lysacek was just that little bit better, and didn’t put a foot wrong in a well-executed performance that earned him a season’s best. 

His total score was 257.67, compared to Plushenko’s 256.36,

Carrying a slender advantage over Lysacek and Daisuke Takahashi after the short program, Plushenko’s arrival on ice for the decisive free skate sent a surge of expectancy fizzing around the Pacific Coliseum, as he sought to become the first man to defend his Olympic title since Dick Button 58 years ago.

For four minutes and 37 seconds exactly they held their breath and despite landing his big quadruple combination, nervous mistakes crept into his performance, proving he is only human after all.

Takahashi, perhaps mindful of Plushenko’s comment that ‘real men do quads’, fell on his opening quad toeloop but still closed out his routine solidly for a deserved bronze.

The last note of his music was still fading when Lysacek pumped his fists and screamed, "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" 

Plushenko was equally ecstatic at the conclusion of his program, pointing both his fingers to the heavens in triumph.

But the judges saw it different, as Lysacek became the first American skater to claim gold since Brian Boitano in Calgary 22 years ago.

“I couldn't have asked for much more than that, to have my personal best in the most important moment of my life," he said.

Lysacek’s critics will accuse him of taking a safety first approach to his free skate, although axels, loops, lutzs and salchows were all performed to multiples of three, with blink and you’ll miss it step sequences and giddying spins.

The layman might not always understand figure skating - or its scoring system, which requires a degree in applied mathematics to work out - but there is no mistaking class when you see it.

And Lysacek and Plushenko both fall into that bracket.

The Russian, who simmers with brooding arrogance, is the certainly the better showman but there can only be one leading man at the Olympics and it’s Lysacek’s name in lights above Vancouver tonight.

 AS IT HAPPENS: Day seven of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver

IN PICTURES: Evan Lysacek claims figure skating gold in Vancouver