VANCOUVER — Nearly 12 hours after Evan Lysacek finished the most magnificent skate of his life, he was asked how it felt to wake up wearing a gold medal.
"Well, I haven't gone to sleep yet so I don't know," he said amid laughter at a Friday news conference. "I keep feeling it and looking at it, but it hasn't sunk in."
PLUSHENKO: Judging in Lysacek win 'raises questions'
Lysacek became the first American man to win a gold medal in 22 years, beating out perhaps the toughest men's field in Olympic history. With a score of 257.67, he edged Russian silver medalist Evgeni Plushenko by 1.31 points. Japan's Daisuke Takahashi took the bronze becoming the first men's skater from his country to win an Olympic medal.
In the immediate aftermath, Plushenko, the 2006 gold medalist, and his coach Alexei Mishin disparaged Lysacek for winning without a quad. Nonethelelss, Lysacek had better marks on his technical elements, which includes the eight triples he landed with relative ease. Plushenko, known as a tremendous jumper, was a bit wobbly on some of his landings.
"If Olympic champion doesn't know how to jump quad … I don't know," Plushenko said after the result. "Now it's not men's skating. Now it's dancing. That's my point."
Mishin said that without the quad, the men's and women's competitions should be combined.
The vociferous bickering raged on back in Russia. Even Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sent Plushenko a telegram which said, "Your silver is worth gold," according to Reuters. Plushenko's wife,Yana Rudkovskaya, called the decision "a gross mistake" and, according to Reuters, demanded the Russian government "defend our sportsmen and protect their honor."
In his news conference, Lysacek handled all the questions about Plushenko's insolence with grace. He said he wasn't aware of the reaction in Russia, adding. "Nobody likes to lose."
Plushenko had retired in 2006 but, at 27, announced last spring he was coming back, hoping to become the first man since Dick Button in 1952 to win back-to-back Olympic titles.
"Plushenko is a great guy and a great skater. I've admired him for years," Lysacek said. "For him to discredit the field is not right. It's probably the strongest men's field there's ever been and I'm honored to be just one single member of that."
Lysacek's measured response showed a maturity beyond his 24 years. "I'm sure he didn't see what anyone else did because he skated last," Lysacek said. "All I know is that he's been a positive role model for me. … I guess I was a little disappointed that someone who was my role model would take a hit at me at one of the most special moments of my life. But, it's tough to lose. I'm sure he said stuff in the heat of the moment that maybe he doesn't mean so we'll try to … give him the benefit of the doubt. But congratulations to him on his third Olympic medal."
Though Plushenko's comments and even Tiger Woods' press conference grabbed a bit of the spotlight away from Lysacek the morning after, it didn't matter much. History will remember the medal, not the theatrics surrounding it. Lysacek joined Russia's Alexei Yagudin as the only men's skaters to own the Olympic, World and Grand Prix Final titles at the same time.
And he brought his coach, Frank Carroll, the first Olympic gold of his career. After decades of tutoring some of the finest American skaters, including Michelle Kwan, Carroll's top pupil finally reached the top step of the medal podium in an Olympic career that began in 1976.
"That's the first thought that came to my mind," Lysacek said. "He's really my secret weapon."
Carroll, 71, has coached four Olympic medalists — two silvers, a bronze and now this gold. "I had given up on having an Olympic gold medalist a long time ago," Carroll said Thursday night. "It's something I thought maybe would never happen. But it's so great it did. I'm just grateful. … I didn't give up."
His skater isn't about to either. Before the national championships last month, Lysacek said he couldn't imagine competing in the 2014 Olympics. But now he just might pull a Plushenko and continue his run.
Of course, the 2014 Games are in Russia making the prospect that much more delicious.
"I don't think they would love to see me," he said with a laugh. "If I can somehow get a visa into that country …
"I love skating. I can't imagine my life without it. I can't see just giving it up at this point. I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life and I'm going to take it one step at a time. I would love to continue … to keep competing."
Update, 12:04 p.m. ET: Plushenko is done. No bad falls. But he needs better than his season best to win.
Update, 12:03 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: #Plushenko looks nervous. This stuff is tough. What pressure. So far standing up, but not pretty.
Update, 12:01 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: #Plushenko not great landing on quad.
Update, 12:00 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: #Weir in fifth. Never mind on the medal. :) It's all on #Plushenko now. He is one tough competitor. Let's see if he can do it at 27.
Update, 11:59 p.m. ET: Plushenko is up next, with the gold on the line. He needs to score 166.83 to pass Lysacek.
Follow USA TODAY's reporters from the scene on Twitter: Gary Mihoces, Kelly Whiteside and Christine Brennan.
Update, 11:57 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: Johnny #Weir! Clean, no falls. Wow. Where did that come from? He almost quit last year? A medal for him now? It's possible.
Update, 11:52 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: #Weir up now. He can win a medal with a strong long program. It's sitting there for him.
He needs about 165 to get into second place, but that's a lot better than his season best.
Update, 11:48 p.m. ET: Johnny Weir is next. Takahashi's fall cost him, but he moves into second place.
Update, 11:44 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: Quad- fall! No gold medal for him. It's either #Lysacek or #Plushenko. Remember 6-3 E Bloc on judges. But Evan was great.
Update, 11:42 p.m.ET: Takahashi stumbled.
From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: #Takahashi up now, with a quad and all that artistry. Had bad warm-up.
Update, 11:41 p.m. ET: Takahashi is next. He needs to score 167.43 to pass Lysacek, who scored 167.37 on his free skate. Takahashi has a quad in his program, andLysacek did not.
Stephane Lambiel moves past Canada's Patrick Chan into second place.
Update, 11:38 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: #Lambiel does two quads, kinda, but this is all about #Takahashi and #Plushenko catching #Lysacek
Update, 11:30 p.m. ET: Nobunari Oda is finished. Stephane Lambiel is next. Then it's Takahashi, Johnny Weir and Plushenko,
Lysacek set the mark, without a quad jump. Takahashi and Plushenko, with quad jumps, have to catch him.
Update, 11:25 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: #Lysacek #olympics Scores 167.37, 257.67 total. That's the score to beat. #Sarah Hughes also went very early in 2002, and won. Stay tuned.
Update, 11:23 p.m. ET: Lysacek has set the score to beat: 256.67.
From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: Rarely do you see an athlete rise to the occasion like this. #Lysacek has just done it. Now, the judges?
Update, 11:21 p.m. ET: Great performance. No mistakes. But no quad.
From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: He has done it! Crowd going crazy!
Update, 11:20 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: Lysacek has second triple axel left, here it is....this will be huge...and...yes! saved it.
Update, 11:18 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: So far so good for #Lysacek, a great guy, terrific student of Frank's.
Update, 11:16 p.m. ET: A Tweet from USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: Frank Carroll has never had a skater win an Oly gold medal. Is now the time?
Update, 11:15 p.m. ET: Here comes Lysacek. Now it's really showtime.
Update, 11:07 p.m. ET: The final group takes the ice after a warm-up, led by the USA's Evan Lysacek, who stands second overall. The rest of the group, in this order: Nobunari Oda of Japan (fourth); Stephane Lambiel (fifth); Daisuke Takahishi of Japan (third); Johnny Weir of the USA (sixth); Evgeni Plushenko (first).
If Lysacek can nail his free skate -- without a quad in his program -- he can put the pressure on his competitors. Takahishi and Plushenko -- and the other two in the group -- plan to attempt quad jumps. And they come early in their routines.
Canada's Patrick Chan still has the lead with six skaters to go. The USA's Jeremy Abbott, who entered the free skate in 15th place, will finish no worse than ninth.
A Tweet from USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: Chan's Olympics is over. Will be no medal for him. So much pressure on this kid. Will be fun to watch him next 4 years.
Update, 10:57 p.m. ET: Canada's Patrick Chan gave the home crowd a thrill, despite falling on a triple axel jump.He entered the night seventh in the standings, and moved temporarily into first, but he likely won't have enough to medal. He's 19, though, and he'll be back.
Michal Brezina of the CzechRepublic will close out Group 3. The heavy hitters are in Group 4.
Update, 10:50 p.m. ET:Canada's Patrick Chan is up next, followed by Michal Brezina of the CzechRepublic. That will close out Group 3 ... and the heavy hitters get ready to take the ice.
A Tweet from USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: Only good news for #Lysacek: hi and lo are throw out, and 2 randomly not used. So 5 of 9 decide -- don't know who are.
Update, 10:33 p.m. ET: Kazuka Takahiko of Japan has moved into first temporarily, supplanting the USA's Jeremy Abbott.
Update, 1o:26 p.m. ET: Brian Joubert of France took the ice with hopes of doing two quads. He got the four revolutions on his opening jump but stepped out of the landing. His second planned quad became a triple toe loop.
"I had a bad season with a lot of bad performances," he said. "I wasn't confident enough for the Olympics, but I thought I was ready to do two quads."
Joubert, the 2007 world champion, won't finish in the top 10 here.
Update, 10:15 p.m. ET: Group 3 is on the ice.
Update, 10:08 p.m. ET: The USA's Jeremy Abbott, 24, who has the lead after 12 skaters, had this to say after his performance: "It was an experience, not the one I looked for, not the one I dreamed of, but I certainly learned a lot."
As he skated off he was looking up into the stands. He saw what he was looking for. "I was looking for my family. I really hadn't seen them all week."
And a closing quote: "It was a disappointing Olympics, but my career's not over. There's going to be lots more of me to come."
Update, 10:00 p.m. ET: Group 3 gets ready for warm-ups. The skaters are: Takahiko Kozuka of Japan; Denis Tan of Kazakhstan; Kevin vander Perren of Belgium; Florent Amodio of France; Patrick Chan of Canada; Michal Brezina of the CzechRepublic.
Chan, 19, the Canadian hope, is seventh in the standings.
Update, 9:55 p.m. ET: Brian Joubert of France, the 2007 world champion, had a couple of wobbly landings in his ambitious program. His total score of 200.22 leaves him in fifth place temporarily.
Group 2 is done. Time to resurface the ice.
Update, 9:41 p.m. ET: Brian Joubert of France is next, to close out Group 2. Joubert has a quad toe loop and a quad toe/double toe combo early in his program.
Update, 9:30 p.m.: From USA TODAY's Gary Mihoces -- Two-time U.S champion Jeremy Abbott, coming off a disappointing short program, fell on his opening quad try and then botched a triple flip. Abbott's score overall is 218.96. Temporarily first.
Update, 9:22 p.m. ET: Abbott tried the quad, and he fell. He went for it, anyway.
Update, 9:16 p.m. ET: The USA's Jeremy Abbott skates now for the USA. Though he was the U.S. champion, he stumbled in a couple of key spots in the short program Tuesday, knocking him out of medal contention. Let's see if he goes for broke here. He has a quad toe loop early in his program.
Update, 9:02 p.m. ET: Group 2 in warm-ups now. The six skaters are: Stefan Lindemann, Germany; Artem Borodulin, Russia; Jeremy Abbott, USA; Samuel Contesti, Italy; Javier Fernandez, Spain; and Brian Joubert, France.
Update, 8:55 p.m. ET: From USA TODAY's Kelly Whiteside -- Wacky Swede alert coming up. Hoping it's his rap, agonized screaming, Pac-Man medley.
Adrian Schultheiss of Sweden has closed out Group 1. Break time before Group 2. The heavy hitters are still an hour and a half away.
Update, 8:28 p.m. ET: Skating third, Viktor Pfeifer of Austria went down on his opening try at a quad.
Update, 8:18 p.m. ET: First man up, Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic, landed his opening quad. He skated to The Godfather movie theme.
Update, 8:10 p.m. ET:From USA TODAY's Gary Mihoces --Thirteen of 24 men in today's men's free skate have quadruple (four revolution) jumps listed in their planned programs. That doesn't necessarily mean they will attempt the jumps -- or land them.
The USA's Johnny Weir, in sixth place and skating next to last, has a quad toe loop listed as his first element. He says his coach, Galina Zmievskaya, will make the call as to whether he attempts it.
"Galina is the boss, so it's up to Galina," Weir said after practice today.
Quad or not, Weir says he is ready. "I feel like I can do anything right now, and I feel like the long program is going to be cake," he said.
Of course, first-place Russian Evgeni Plushenko plans an opening quad in combination with a triple toe loop and a double toe loop.
The USA's Evan Lysacek, a fraction of a point behind Plushenko, does not plan a quad. After developing soreness in his left foot in past weeks, he stopped practicing it.
Two-time U.S. champion Jeremy Abbott, coming off a rough short program that left him in 15th place, has an opening quad toe loop in his planned program.
Brian Joubert of France and Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland both have two quads in their planned programs for tonight.
Follow USA TODAY's reporters from the scene on Twitter: Gary Mihoces, Kelly Whiteside and Christine Brennan.
"You have about 10 brilliant boys in the world who are looking at each other wondering how this is going to come out," said legendary coach Frank Carroll as his skater, Evan Lysacek, prepared for tonight's decisive Olympic free skate. "I've never seen 10 better skaters than there are in this Olympic championship."
The top three are within one point of each other, setting up what could be the most compelling men's final since the "Battle of the Brians" at the 1988 Calgary Games. Coincidentally, that's the last time an American man won the gold. (Brian Boitano edged Canada's Brian Orser.)
The leaders don't begin their skate until about 11:15 p.m. ET, and Lysacek will be up first in that group. Plushenko skates last.
USA TODAY's Kelly Whiteside offers these tidbits as warm-ups conclude:
Last warmup group practice...Evan was calm and confident, Plush was a little tight on his quads for first time.
Plushenko has one quad planned, so does #Takahashi and #JohnnyWeir. None for #Lysacek.
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