Kim Yu-Na produced four minutes and seven seconds of dazzling perfection to claim figure skating gold.
Yu-Na's flawless routine scored her an enormous 228.56 and enhanced her celebrity back home in South Korea, where tens of millions follow her every move, and where she earned £5million in endorsements last year alone.
Behind her, rival Mao Asada of Japan landed the first pair of triple axels in Olympic history, but failed to make up ground on Yu-Na, who had established a world record lead after Tuesday's short program. Asada scored a distant 205.50.
The night belonged equally to Joannie Rochette, who took bronze less than a week after the sudden death of her mother.The Canadian somehow created a performance of grace and poise out of tragic adversity, and could barely hold back tears as the Coliseum erupted at the end of her free skate.
Historically the ladies' figure skating has provided one of the highlights of the Winter Games, creating legends like Katarina Witt and Oksana Baiul. Tonight in Vancouver, these extraordinary athletes did not disappoint.
"I still can't believe the score that I received," said Kim. "I'm really surprised. It's almost as close as the men's score. I still can't believe my performance, and I can't believe this day has finally come for me."
Yu-Na is the most famous face in her homeland. If the expectation needed heightening, there was the desire to out-shine neighbours Japan. The two countries are barely on speaking terms and angrily contest sovereignty of the tiny Liancourt Rocks in the Sea of Japan.
In the Coliseum press centre, Korean and Japanese photographers sat apart. Then they over-spilled the bleachers seeking the shots which would enhance the status of either Yu-Na or Asada as a national heroine.
No-one, though, could deny that it was as much Rochette's night - one of those nights when bronze meant as much as the battle for Olympic gold as she skated to one of sport's most remarkable triumphs.
Yu-Na's perfect short program, which had scored her a world record 78.50, had already virtually assured her of gold. Utterly flawless again tonight, on her final spin it sounded like the whole of Seoul had packed the Pacific Coliseum with cheers.
Yu-Na's total score was so big that Asada could not have dreamed of over-hauling her rival. As it was, despite nailing her historic pair of triple axels at the start of her programme, two small slips meant the margin was huge.
The stage was then set for Rochette, who despite an early slip skated beautifully to Samson and Delilah, scoring a total of 202.64 which was enough to maintain her third place and secure heroic bronze.
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