The Russian team won the team figure skating competition behind the performance of the 15-year-old phenomenon Kamila Valieva, whose history-making free skate on Monday included the first two quadruple jumps landed by a woman at an Olympics.
The United States won the silver medal after taking bronze in the past two Winter Olympics, the only other times the team event has been held. Japan finished third.
Valieva won both the short program and free skate during the team event, powering the Russians to victory and previewing what could be an unstoppable performance in the women’s singles competition next week. She nearly set a world record for points in the women’s short program on Sunday and won by more than 15 points, skating’s equivalent of a mile.