Eat, pray, skate: Sakamoto Kaori out to redeem herself at All-Japan Figure Skating Championships 2022

Sakamoto Kaori had the perfect tonic after failing to win her first ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Final two weeks ago:

Eat. A lot.

“I won’t say what, but I put away some really good food in Italy,” Sakamoto said after practice on Wednesday (21 December), on the eve of the women’s short program at the All-Japan Figure Skating Championships 2022 in Osaka.

“Everything bad that happened in Italy, stays in Italy. I was planning to run it all off once I got back so it was chow time.”

Sakamoto will appear at the nationals for the 10th consecutive year to close out a 2022 marked by a women's singles bronze medals at the Beijing Winter Olympics and gold at the world championship in Montpellier, France.

But in trying to win her first career Grand Prix Final, the nerves got to Sakamoto who ended up fifth following an error-strewn free program. Gutted doesn’t begin to describe her emotions at the time.

But with only one weekend between the Final and the nationals - where she will take to the ice as defending champion - Sakamoto didn’t have time to wallow in self-pity.

Instead, she gave herself a cheat day to fill her stomach to the brim and forget about everything - and moved on. As a result, her trademark smile was back on Wednesday.

Sakamoto will be up against a deep field including past and present Grand Prix Final champions Kihira Rika and Mihara Mai; Beijing Olympian Kawabe Mana; Skate Canada winner Watanabe Rinka; and the “New Mao” - 14-year-old Junior Grand Prix Final champion, Shimada Mao.

Sakamoto, however, is not about to roll over anytime soon.

“After the week I had following the Final, I feel refreshed. I was able to completely switch off and flip it back on. I think I had my best week of the season”, the 22-year-old said.

“I did a lot of running in this short amount of time and I’m feeling the effects of it.

“Of course I want to make it two in a row here but I’ve been worrying way too much about results this season. For me the nationals is a good opportunity to look at myself in the mirror. If I focus on what I ought to be doing then I’ll naturally be happy with the end result.

"I want to prove at the All-Japans that I still have a lot left.”

Kagiyama Yuma at '75, 80 per cent'

The Beijing 2022 silver medallist Kagiyama Yuma is set to compete at these Japanese nationals. It's the first time he'll take to the ice since the world championships in March after hurting his left ankle over the summer, an injury that forced him to miss all of the Grand Prix season.

But the 19-year-old admitted he is not all the way back just yet, rather wanting to use the All-Japans as a springboard for 2023 which includes a home world championships in Saitama in the spring.

“Physically I’m at around 75, 80 per cent,” said Kagiyama, who landed a quadruple Salchow and a triple Axel during practice. “Within what I’ve got, I want to give it my 100 per cent.

“The injury’s gotten better to a point where I can pretty much move how I want to. I decided to enter because I want to show what I’m made of. I’m not going to worry about how I do and worry about producing a skate that I can build on.

“I’m just glad to be competing with everyone again. I’m up for it. I feel like I can perform well.”

The men’s short program is Friday and will also feature reigning world champion Uno Shoma, who has shown some of his best skating so far this season with wins at both of his Grand Prix stops while also claiming his first-ever Grand Prix Final gold.

The men's singles field will be equally as crowded as the women's with Uno and Kagiyama being joined by a surging Yamamoto Sota, who won the silver at the GPF, as well as youngsters Miura Kao, Sota Shun, Tsuboi Tatsuya among others.

Miura/Kihara cutting it close

The new pairs Grand Prix Final champions, the first-ever from Japan, Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi, were not in Osaka as of Wednesday evening local time due to major flight delays from their training base in Canada.

According to Miura on her Instagram account, they were still stuck in Vancouver more than 50 hours after leaving Toronto.

The pairs’ short program starts on Friday at 15:30 JST. The Japan Skating Federation is expecting Miura/Kihara to arrive for the competition.

Schedule for All-Japan Figure Skating Championships 2022 (all times local JST, UTC+9):

Thursday 22 December

Ice dance (rhythm dance) - 14:45

Women's short program - 16:22

Friday 23 December

Pairs' short program - 15:30

Men's short program - 16:22

Saturday 24 December

Ice dance (free dance) - 14:19

Women's free program - 17:00

Sunday 25 December

Pair's free program - 15:30

Men's free program - 17:00