Having landed on the second spot following a short program, Evgeny Pluschenko stormed ahead of other contestants to secure himself the seventh European Champion title.

      The student of Alexei Mishin, Pluschenko is the Gold Olympic Champion and a husband to Yana Rudkovskaya, a producer of the winner of Eurovision song contest, Dima Bilan. Mishin admitted in an interview that it becomes more difficult to train, as opponents eargerly copy the innovative decisions, hence a sportsman has always had to be ahead of himself to remain a leader. It should be said that for Europeans 2012 Mishin trained both Pluschenko and a Silver medalist, Arthur Gachinsky. 

      Pluschenko has been receiving medical help, due to a trauma; his career is now in the hands of the medical professionals, says Mishin.

      It is hoped, however, that Pluschenko is able to compete in 2014 Olympics. Back to Sheffield, he performed his Je Suis Malade routine, to the song by Lara Fabian, which performance you can watch below.

      Source: Europeans 2012, Sovetsky Sport.