SOCHI SCENE: Putin for Plushenko

SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Of all of the events that Russian President Vladimir Putin could have attended, he chose the one that brought Russia its first gold medal.

The new team event at the Sochi Games had been largely perceived as Evgeni Plushenko’s best chance to win Olympic gold. It attracted a crowd of Russian Olympic champions and Putin, who wore red fleece bearing the logos of two Russian companies and a French sunglasses brand.