By David Williams She is the 'Ice Princess' who has stolen the hearts of Russia - and melted the notoriously hard heart of Vladimir Putin to become the biggest star of the Sochi Olympics. And when 5ft 2in Yulia Lipnitskaya takes to the ice tonight in what is now the most eagerly anticipated contest of this Olympics more Russians are expected to tune-in to watch than for any other sporting event. For the 15 year-old skating sensation, who became the youngest skating gold medalist in 78 years when anchoring Russia to team gold on the ice, is set to have the biggest impact on an Olympics for Russia since the 'Little Sparrow,' Olga Korbut, came out of the Soviet Union to enchant the world and take gold as a 17 year-old at the Munich Olympics in 1972.
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Yulia Lipnitskaya, 15, has become the biggest star of the Sochi Olympics
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Tonight she will compete in the most eagerly awaited contest of the Games
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Young skater has even melted the famously hard heart of Vladimir Putin
As with many @placeholder athletes, she does not go to school but is taught at home, lessons fitting in around training.