Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto delivered a nearly flawless performance in her free skate to successfully defend her title at the NHK Trophy, which she announced would be her final appearance at the event. Sakamoto, who declared her retirement after the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, aimed to leave a lasting impression at her home Grand Prix in Osaka, Japan.
Skating to music by Edith Piaf, Sakamoto executed seven triple jumps, achieving a Grand Prix season-high score of 227.18, surpassing all other competitors. Expressing her delight, Sakamoto described the experience of performing in her hometown as exceptional and gratifying, especially in front of her local supporters.
Following her second-place finish at the Grand Prix de France, Sakamoto secured a spot in the Grand Prix Final scheduled for December 4-7 in Nagoya, Japan. Meanwhile, teenager Sofia Samodelkina of Kazakhstan made an impressive Grand Prix debut, clinching second place with 200 points, followed by Loena Hendrickx of Belgium.
In her Grand Prix debut, Ottawa’s Katherine Medland Spence, the sole Canadian participant, finished 11th among 12 skaters, scoring 146.63 points. Hendrickx, skating to “La Alegria,” landed six clean triple jumps, accumulating a total score of 198.97, marking her return to the Grand Prix series following surgery on her right ankle earlier this year.
Looking ahead to the Winter Olympics, Sakamoto, who previously won three consecutive world championships, will face stiff competition from Russian skater Adeliia Petrosian. Notably, the International Skating Union has permitted Russian athletes to compete in Milan-Cortina as neutrals, but only in the men’s and women’s events.
In the men’s singles category, Yuma Kagiyama, the 2022 Olympic silver medalist, secured his third consecutive NHK Trophy title despite an early error. Kagiyama’s performance, which included flawless jumps after the initial mistake, earned him a total score of 287.24. His compatriot Shun Sato, winner of the Cup of China, also delivered a remarkable performance, landing three flawless quad jumps to achieve a personal best score of 189.04 in the free skate.
Additionally, British ice dance pair Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson claimed the gold medal with a total score of 205.88, qualifying them for the Grand Prix Final. Italy’s Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii outshone the 2022 Olympic champions to clinch the pairs gold medal.
The achievements at the NHK Trophy set the stage for an exciting season in figure skating, with athletes preparing to compete at the upcoming Grand Prix Final and the highly anticipated Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
