The Estonian, 21, who is the reigning and two-time European champion and placed seventh at the Olympics, took part in the traditional closing gala exhibition Saturday evening, performing a special tango routine.

This was the same as her routine at the European Championships held last month in Sheffield, England, only this time a male figure skater — three skaters in fact — was needed to be pressed into action.

This was left until the last moment, though Petrõkina said she "had ideas — I need to start negotiations today. [On Saturday] evening you'll see who was chosen," she told ERR somewhat gnomically.

As it happened, her three "victims" were two-time world champion Ilia Malinin (U.S.), South Korean figure skating star Cha Jun-hwan, and German-Spanish ice dancer Tim Dieck. The three did not take to the ice in this case, but were situated at various points rinkside for the ice queen to come and dispatch them: Which she did by "shooting" Malinin in the head with a finger pistol, handing Jun-hwan a "poisoned" drink, and "garroting" Dieck with a red ribbon.

The trio were safe and well really, and all took part in ice dance routines of their own at the same gala (click on the video player up top to watch the sequence).

Petrõkina made her Olympic debut in Italy and entered the free skate in tenth place last week following the short program. She delivered an outstanding free program Thursday evening and improved on her overall standing to place seventh.

This was all despite the fact that it was at one point touch and go if Petrõkina was going to make the Milano Cortina Games at all: She had Achilles tendon surgery in Germany last year and was only back in training in the autumn, but shook this setback off to take a second back-to-back European title in January, a feat she had managed a year earlier before a home crowd in Tallinn, and to qualify for the Olympics.

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