Figure Skating at the 2006 Torino Winter Games:

Yevgeny Plyushchenko (RUS) had been the silver medalist in 2002, but was the favorite in 2006. He had won the 2003-04 World Championships, and the 2003 and 2005-06 European Championships. With the new scoring system, Plyushchenko opened up a 10.66 lead over America’s Johnny Weir in the short program, with another contender, Switzerland’s Stéphane Lambiel, the 2005 World Champion, close behind in third. Plyushchenko also won the free skate easily, by 13+ points over Canada’s Jeff Buttle, who had been only sixth in the short. Lambiel was only fourth in the free skate, but when Weir skated poorly in the free program, he moved up to the silver medal. Buttle won the bronze, with Weir dropping to fifth place, behind another American, Evan Lysacek. Lambiel would repeat as World Champion shortly after the Olympics. Plushchenko announced he would “retire” but vowed to return in a few years to come back for Vancouver in 2010.