Russia's Alina Zagitova aged 15, stole the show in figure skating today as she broke the world record set just minutes earlier by her team-mate, Evgenia Medvedeva, aged 18. 

It put the Russians top of the standings ahead of Friday's free skate, where Zagitova will attempt to become the youngest women's singles figure skating champion since Tara Lipinski in 1998. 

They also look set to win the first gold of the Games for the Olympic Athletes from Russia. 

Russian sportspersons are competing as neutrals after their national team was banned over a major doping scandal.

In other action today, America's Lindsey Vonn, aged 33, wound up her Olympic downhill career by becoming the oldest female alpine ski medallist in Games history. She finished third behind Italy's Sofia Goggia and Ragnhild Mowinckel of Norway.

There was disappointment for the United States when their men's ice hockey team crashed out 3-2 in the quarter-finals against the Czech Republic.

Russian skier Sergey Ridzik recovered from a crash in the ski cross final to take bronze, behind Canada's Bredy Leman and Marc Bischofberger of Switzerland. The competition was marred by a series of heavy snow falls.