Russian Plushenko Makes Believers of Judges

It will hit him in five days, Evgeni Plushenko said, or maybe a week. “It has been my dream to become world champion, since I was 4 years old when I started to skate,” he said. “Now, this dream has come true. I am so happy. Like unbelievable.”

Believe it. Plushenko unseated three-time defending champion and fellow Russian Alexei Yagudin Thursday at GM Place to win his first men’s world figure skating title, performing a brilliant free skate that featured a spectacular quadruple-triple-double jump sequence.

The journey from being a sickly child in St. Petersburg, Russia, to the podium at the world championships was unlikely, he acknowledged. It was his mother who urged him to skate and urged him to do his acrobatic and distinctive “Biellmann spin,” which requires incredible flexibility.

“Thank you, Mummy,” the 18-year-old said.

Yagudin was rewarded by the judges for his courage more than his mastery. He had seven pain-killing injections Thursday to numb his injured right foot, which bothered him in the qualifying round and held him to fifth in that phase. He made four minor mistakes Thursday, yet moved up to second and dropped Todd Eldredge of the U.S. to third. “I knew going in there was no way for me to win,” Yagudin said, “but I just wanted to not disappoint people who came today.”

But there was a silver lining to Eldredge’s bronze-medal finish--U.S. champion Timothy Goebel’s fourth-place showing. Their combined placements were low enough to give the U.S. three berths in the men’s competition at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

“Obviously, that was a concern,” said Goebel, who landed two clean quadruple jumps and stepped out while landing a third quad.

“It’s going to make nationals that much harder next year. But my main concern coming in here was to skate well. . . . I definitely made a good impression, skating as solid as I did in practice and in competition. Next year, if I keep hitting my elements and I have nine months to improve my artistry, I’ll have a good chance at a medal.”

At the age of 29 years, six months, Eldredge became the oldest man to win a world medal since Roger Turner of the U.S. won silver in 1931 three days shy of his 30th birthday. For Eldredge, the 1996 world champion and three-time silver medalist, this result was the sweetest because it followed his two-year sabbatical from Olympic-eligible skating.

“To be sitting up here and getting a medal at worlds is amazing and a lot more than I thought I would achieve this year,” said Eldredge, who skated to music from the movie “1492” and did not attempt a quad.

“I started slowly at Skate America [a third-place finish] but I built up a little bit of confidence and I’ll be starting next season on a high note.”

Plushenko, skating to a medley that included “Xotica,” did seven triple jumps besides the quad-triple-double. He was flawless--unlike Yagudin, who hopped at the end of his quadruple toe loop-triple toe loop combination, stepped out of his triple axel, touched his hand down on the subsequent triple toe loop, and stumbled on the landing of a triple flip. Plushenko got all 5.8s and 5.9s (out of 6.0) on his technical and artistic marks; Yagudin got 5.6s and 5.7s for his technical scores and a 5.9 and eight 5.8s for artistry.

Goebel’s “Henry V” routine began well, with a quadruple salchow-triple toe loop combination, but he stepped out of a triple axel and reduced the connecting jump to a double toe loop from a triple. On a quadruple toe loop, Goebel, who skates at HealthSouth training center in El Segundo, stepped out of the landing and touched his hand to the ice.

“I’m happy with the finish but disappointed with the skate,” said Goebel, 11th last year. “I’m capable of skating this program a lot cleaner than I did tonight. I had a rough part in the middle. Had I done a quad toe or triple axel it would have been a different outcome.

“My goal this year was to get as close to the top as I could. I’m just privileged to be in this class of skaters.”

*

Michelle Kwan took her right skate for repairs Thursday, a day after the blade separated from the right heel during her warmup for her qualifying program and required a frantic repair.

Although the blade loosened again during her routine, the defending world champion never faltered, finishing atop her group. Sarah Hughes of the U.S. was second and Angela Nikodinov of San Pedro third. Today, the women will perform their short program, worth 30% of the final score.

*

Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio of Italy were judged first in the original dance, the second phase of the ice dance competition, solidifying the lead they built in the compulsories. Defending world champions Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat of France were second and are second overall. Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh of Russia were third in the original dance and third overall.

U.S. champions Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev were ninth in the original dance and are ninth overall. The other U.S. entry, Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, are 17th. Today’s free dance, worth 50% of the final score, concludes their competition.