Sochi 2014: Patrick Chan and Yuzuru Hanyu replaced in figure skating free program

SOCHI. KAZINFORM Patrick Chan and Yuzuru Hanyu, two of the strongest figure skaters at the Sochi Olympics, have been replaced for Sunday's free program in the team event, a move that plays into the hands of Evgeny Plushenko and Russia.
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The home nation holds a commanding six-point lead over Canada at the top of the standings with three free programs remaining - the men's, the women's and the final ice dance that wraps up Sunday at the Iceberg Skating Palace.

Japan's Hanyu and Canada's Chan, who came first and third respectively in Thursday's short program, have been substituted by Tatsuki Machida and Kevin Reynolds. Reynolds is the only skater to have landed five quadruple jumps in one competition, R-Sport reports. Plushenko, searching for a second gold medal after winning the traditional individual event in Turin 2006, put in a stunning short skate on Thursday to finish second and put Russia in contention for gold right from the outset. In the women's free program, Russia is represented by 15-year-old prodigy Julia Lipnitskaia, who brought the house down on Saturday to win the short program. Japan has replaced world champion Mao Asada with Akiko Suzuki and the United States has substituted Ashley Wagner with Gracie Gold. Italy's five-time European champion Carolina Kostner has been replaced by Valentina Marchei. Russia's ice dance entrants are Elena Ilinykh and Maxim Katsalapov, who claimed the silver at the European championships last month. The team event is included in the Winter Games program for the first time.

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