Evan Lysacek Wins Olympic Gold

American male figure skater Evan Lysacek won the gold medal Thursday night for men’s figure skating at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He is the first American to win the title since Brian Boitano in 1988. He is also the first reigning American World Champion to win gold since Scott Hamilton in 1984.

Though Lysacek had a rough start on the ice, he quickly came to and delivered a performance that resulted in a 167.37 score from the judges. Some argued that Russian skater Evegeny Plushenko should have won, due to his quad combination. However, the judges gave Lysacek better overall marks. Plushenko had been retired for three years and came back this year hoping to make history by winning the gold. But Lysacek’s performance shattered Russia’s hopes of owning the gold in that event which its dominated since 1992. –NATASHA ALLOWAY