Sotnikova crowned but judging under scrutiny

There had been rumblings for days that Russian figure skaters were being marked rather generously at the Sochi Olympics, judges seemingly awarding scores with their hearts rather than their heads after being carried on a wave of national euphoria.

Just how much the heart ruled the head became clear on Thursday when, amid deafening roars and frenzied cheers, Adelina Sotnikova became the first Russian to win the women's title with a surprising free skate score of 149.95.

The fact her victory margin in the long program was judged to be 5.76 points more than overwhelming favorite Kim Yu-na and 7.34 points ahead of bronze medalist Carolina Kostner - who had both produced stirring performances - left even the experts and former champions bewildered.