Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto delivered a nearly flawless free skate on Saturday to retain her title in what she confirmed as her final NHK Trophy appearance. Sakamoto announced her retirement after the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and was determined to give a captivating performance 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, outscoring all other competitors.
Expressing her delight, Sakamoto stated, “It was a wonderful experience to perform in my hometown. Competing in an international event close to my local fans was special, and I am thrilled with my strong performance.” With a second-place finish at the Grand Prix de France, Sakamoto secured her spot in the Grand Prix Final scheduled for Dec. 4-7 in Nagoya, Japan.
In the women’s event, teenager Sofia Samodelkina from Kazakhstan, making her Grand Prix debut, claimed the second spot with 200 points, followed by Loena Hendrickx from Belgium. Ottawa’s Katherine Medland Spence, the sole Canadian entrant, finished 11th out of the 12 skaters in her Grand Prix debut with 146.63 points.
Performing to “La Alegria,” Loena Hendrickx, the 2024 European Champion, successfully landed six triple jumps to earn a total score of 198.97 points. Hendrickx made a strong return to the Grand Prix series after missing the previous season due to ankle surgery in February.
Yuma Kagiyama, the 2022 Olympic silver medalist in men’s singles, overcame an early error to clinch his third consecutive NHK Trophy title. Despite a fall on his quadruple toe loop, Kagiyama flawlessly executed all other jumps, finishing with an overall score of 287.24. His compatriot Shun Sato, winner of the Cup of China last month, landed three flawless quad jumps, achieving a personal best of 189.04 in the free skate for a total score of 285.71.
Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, world bronze medalists from Great Britain, secured the ice dance gold medal with an overall score of 205.88, earning a spot in the Grand Prix Final. The Italian pair of Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii outshined the 2022 Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China in the pairs event to claim the gold medal.
In the upcoming Winter Olympics, Sakamoto, Japan’s top contender for a medal, will face stiff competition from Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian. Petrosian, aged 18, has won two consecutive national titles and remains undefeated over the past two seasons, showcasing remarkable performances with triple axels and quads, unmatched by other female skaters this year.