Three-time medalist Plushenko to aim for team event in Sochi

Published Dec. 25, 2013 12:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

MOSCOW (AP)

After finishing second in the Russian national figure skating championships, Evgeny Plushenko says he still aims to take to the ice at the Sochi Olympics in the team event.

Plushenko, 31, was disappointed to win silver at the Vancouver games in 2010 behind Evan Lysacek, complaining that Lysacek won gold despite not doing a quad jump. Plushenko had won gold at the 2006 Olympics and silver in 2002.

He had back surgery in the spring.

On Wednesday, after finishing behind Maxim Kovtun in the nationals, Plushenko was quoted by the R-Sport news agency as saying "I think I'll choose the team event and will give the individual competition to a young and promising athlete."

Team skating makes its Olympic debut in Sochi.