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SOCHI SCENE: Speed wins

FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2010, file ohoto, Olympic gold medalist USA's Evan Lysacek stands for the national anthem during victory ceremonies in the men's figure skating competition at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Lysacek will be in Sochi after all. Not defending his gold medal after injuries curtailed his comeback last year. The defending champion will be "wearing many hats" in Russia, though, and he might be more exhausted after these games than he was after competing four years ago. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, /Paul Chiasson, File)

SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Defending men’s figure skating champion Evan Lysacek says speed will decide who succeeds him as Olympic gold medalist.

FILE – In this Feb. 18, 2010, file ohoto, Olympic gold medalist USA’s Evan Lysacek stands for the national anthem during victory ceremonies in the men’s figure skating competition at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Lysacek will be in Sochi after all. Not defending his gold medal after injuries curtailed his comeback last year. The defending champion will be “wearing many hats” in Russia, though, and he might be more exhausted after these games than he was after competing four years ago. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, /Paul Chiasson, File)

Lysacek is in Sochi working for NBC’sToday Show after injuries curtailed his attempt to make the U.S. team. At a men’s practice session Thursday, he rattled off the elements needed to contend for Olympic gold.

The skaters with the best speed are the ones to watch, he said shortly after Canada’s Patrick Chan and Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu showed plenty of velocity in their training sessions. You need the jumps and the spins and to be anxious and even a little nervous. But you can’t be afraid.

Guys like Patrick and Hanyu, they have looked good and they have looked fast. That’s what will make the difference for the men, who has that speed all through (the Olympics).

— Barry Wilner — Twitter http://twitter.com/wilner88

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