Arakawa wins gold

Arakawa performed a breathtaking performance, which included a sensational triple lutz-triple toeloop-double loop combination, to earn a perfect 6.0 for technical merit from the judges.

"I always want to show my best and I think I did really well," the 22-year-old said. "I'm so happy that I was able to put every emotion and all the power into my free skating."

In a day full of surprises, all eyes were on the tiny Cohen, who entered the free skate in pole position after Friday's short programme. Yet the 19-year-old American was unable to deliver, landing shakily on several jumps and nearly falling on a triple salchow.

With defending champion Kwan virtually out of the race for gold after having her marks deducted to finish fourth in the short programme, a new champion was to be crowned.

Despite a stunning, cleanly skated programme, which received six 6.0s for presentation, Kwan was still unable to close the gap on Arakawa. If the five-time champion would have performed a triple-triple combination jump in her routine, she could have earned higher technical marks and possibly challenged for the gold, but it wasn't meant to be and she had to settle for bronze.

Kwan's string of bad luck continued when an intruder stole onto the ice and stripped his clothes off as she was about to start her routine. The American remained calm while security guards went onto the ice to remove him from the rink.

"I was surprised," Kwan said. "I had to refocus and just go out there and skate."

The day, however, belonged to the 22-year-old Arakawa, who became Japan's third-ever world champion.