Plushenko’s emphatic return to figure skating earns him seventh European gold

The 2006 Winter Olympics winner and three-time World Champion Evgeni Plushenko overcame a knee injury to win his seventh men’s European champion title with an impeccable performance that earned him an overall score of 261.23 points.

Performing his free skate routine to the score of Tango de Roxanne, the 29-year-old veteran of the sport executed some magnificent jumps and spins, including a perfect quadruple toe loop, which left his competitors trailing far behind.

Another skater from Russia Artur Gachinski took the silver medal with 246.27 points, while Frenchman Florent Amodio completed the podium with 234.18.

After the scores were announced, the newly crowned champion of Europe could not contain his joy, thanking his coaches, supporters and even the judges:

«I did a good job today, it was a very clean performance. Of course, I am proud of myself. It’s my seventh European Championship title, which is quite an achievement. What can I say, I am really happy,» said the Russian skater.

«I think I can skate even better when I am fully fit. And I will be fit in a few weeks time, after I have surgery on my knee in Munich. Next season I plan to keep going and participate in the national championship, as well as the European and the World Championships,» he added.