Updated

Russia's podium sweep in men's 50 kilometer biathlon was its first sweep in Sochi and made it the star of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Unexpected, according to the three athletes who crossed the finish line first, second and third. Here's what they had to say right afterward:

1. Alexander Legkov, gold: "This is priceless. It's more valuable than my life. I can't express how I feel. For 15 years I've been trying for this result."

2. Maxim Vylegzhanin, silver: "I'm happy to make people happy. Even though we've lost in the past, we've won now."

3. Ilia Chernousov, bronze: "It's such a great atmosphere here. Every lap more and more, I felt they were screaming for us. For every athlete, but more for us."

— By Oskar Garcia — Twitter http://twitter.com/oskargarcia

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Associated Press reporters are filing dispatches about happenings in and around Sochi during the 2014 Winter Games. Follow AP journalists covering the Olympics on Twitter: http://apne.ws/1c3WMiu