Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto delivered an exceptional free skate performance on Saturday, successfully defending her title at what she announced to be her final NHK Trophy appearance. Sakamoto, who previously stated her intention to retire after the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, aimed to leave a lasting impression at the Grand Prix event in Osaka, Japan.
Skating to music by Edith Piaf, Sakamoto executed seven triple jumps flawlessly, achieving a season-high score of 227.18 among all competitors in the Grand Prix series. Expressing her satisfaction, Sakamoto stated, “It was a great experience for me to be able to perform in my hometown. This was an international competition close to my local fans, and I feel great that I was able to deliver such a strong performance.”
With 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. Sofia Samodelkina of Kazakhstan, in her Grand Prix debut, claimed second place with 200 points, followed by Loena Hendrickx of Belgium.
In her routine set to “La Alegria,” Hendrickx, the 2024 European Champion, landed six clean triple jumps, earning a total score of 198.97 points. After a hiatus due to ankle surgery, Hendrickx returned to the Grand Prix series. She also qualified for the Olympics by finishing third at the ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating qualifier in September.
In men’s singles, Yuma Kagiyama, the 2022 Olympic silver medalist, secured his third consecutive NHK Trophy victory despite an early mistake in the free skate. Kagiyama, first after the short program, recovered from a fall on his quadruple jump to finish with an overall score of 287.24. His compatriot Shun Sato, winner of the Cup of China, achieved a personal best score of 285.71 with three flawless quad jumps.
The ice dance gold went to the British pair Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson with a total score of 205.88, earning them a spot in the Grand Prix Final. Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii from Italy claimed the pairs gold medal, outperforming the 2022 Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China.
As the focus shifts to the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Japan’s Sakamoto and Kagiyama, alongside other standout performers, are gearing up to showcase their talents on the global stage.