First-placed Russia's Adelina Sotnikova, right, celebrates as second-placed South Korea's Kim Yu-na, center, look on at the podium after the figure skating women's free skating program at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Feb 20, 2014. [Photo/icpress.cn]

"I smashed my highest score for my whole career and I did it at the Olympics. I didn't think I could skate like I did today," said Sotnikova, who had been overlooked for the team event in which Russia won gold with Lipnitskaia.

"The atmosphere was wonderful. I felt something amazing coming from the crowd. I could hear shouts and screams the whole time of 'keep going Adelina', and 'you can do it'. I just couldn't skate badly."

Kim scored 144.19 points for her free skate to Astor Piazzolla's tango "Adios Nonino", which included six triples, for an overall 219.11.

Kostner's stunning skate to Ravel's "Bolero" included seven triples and she achieved 142.61 for her skate for an overall 216.73 to give Italy their first Olympic singles medal in figure skating.

Sotnikova had been just 0.28 behind Kim after the short program with Kostner, 27, a further 0.52 adrift going into Thursday's free skating final.

It was a third title for Russia after Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov pairs' success, in which they led a 1-2 ahead of Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov.

Russia had also won the team competition.

"I think we're all very surprised," said American Ashley Wagner of Sotnikova's success, after having watched Kim skate.

"I saw a lot of very nice, decent landings (from Kim) and I am speechless."

Wagner finished seventh as the US women finished off the podium for a second straight Olympics.

US champion Gracie Gold finished fourth after a fall with Japan's Mao Asada moving up to sixth from 16th after the short program, with a stunning free skate in which she landed a triple Axel jump, to become the first woman to do so at consecutive Olympics.

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