Five-ring Circus

The Best Moments from the Gold-Medal Duel Between Alina Zagitova and Evgenia Medvedeva

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GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 23: Gold medal winner Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia celebrates during the victory ceremony for the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Gold medal winner Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia celebrates during the victory ceremony for the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. Harry How/Getty Images

On Friday in Pyeongchang, 15-year-old Alina Zagitova edged out her rival and Russian compatriot, 18-year-old Evgenia Medvedeva, to win gold in women’s figure skating. Here are some of the defining images from one of the best competitions from this or any Olympics.

Russia's Alina Zagitova competes in the women's single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / ARIS MESSINIS (Photo credit should read ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Russia’s Alina Zagitova competes in the women’s single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. ARIS MESSINIS/Getty Images
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GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 23: Evgenia Medvedeva of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Evgenia Medvedeva of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. Harry How/Getty Images
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 23: Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
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Russia's Evgenia Medvedeva competes in the women's single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Mladen ANTONOV (Photo credit should read MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images)
Russia’s Evgenia Medvedeva competes in the women’s single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. MLADEN ANTONOV/Getty Images
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GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 23: Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
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GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 23: Evgenia Medvedeva of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Evgenia Medvedeva of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 23: Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia competes during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
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Russia's Evgenia Medvedeva reacts after competing in the women's single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / ARIS MESSINIS (Photo credit should read ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Russia’s Evgenia Medvedeva reacts after competing in the women’s single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. ARIS MESSINIS/Getty Images
Russia's Alina Zagitova competes in the women's single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / ARIS MESSINIS (Photo credit should read ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Russia’s Alina Zagitova competes in the women’s single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. ARIS MESSINIS/Getty Images
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Russia's Evgenia Medvedeva reacts after the women's single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Roberto SCHMIDT (Photo credit should read ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images)
Russia’s Evgenia Medvedeva reacts after the women’s single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. ROBERTO SCHMIDT/Getty Images
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Gold medallist Russia’s Alina Zagitova celebrates (L) as silver medallist Russia’s Evgenia Medvedeva claps before the venue ceremony after the women’s single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018.
Gold medallist Russia’s Alina Zagitova celebrates (L) as silver medallist Russia’s Evgenia Medvedeva claps before the venue ceremony after the women’s single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. ROBERTO SCHMIDT/Getty Images
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GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 23: Silver medal winner Evgenia Medvedeva of Olympic Athlete from Russia (L) and gold medal winner Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia celebrate during the victory ceremony for the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Silver medal winner Evgenia Medvedeva of Olympic Athlete from Russia (L) and gold medal winner Alina Zagitova of Olympic Athlete from Russia celebrate during the victory ceremony for the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating on day fourteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Read the rest of Slate’s coverage of the Pyeongchang Olympics.

• The Sadness of Watching Evgenia Medvedeva Get Overtaken by Her Younger Rival

• Catty Olympics Fans Rejoice: The Medvedeva–Zagitova Figure Skating Showdown Is Here

• Evgenia Medvedeva Is the World’s Best Skater and She Loves Dancing at the Mall

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