Sakamoto Kaori wins World Championships title, becomes sixth Japanese woman to capture gold

Japan's Sakamoto Kaori can call herself a world champion.

The favourite in the women's singles event at the World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France, the 21-year-old never wavered from the start of her short program to the finish of her free, when she collapsed to her knees as the audience rose to its feet on Friday night (25 March).

A bronze medallist at last month's Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, Sakamoto scored a 236.09 to win going away, becoming just the sixth Japanese woman in history to win a world championships title - and the first since Asada Mao in 2014.

Sakamoto could barely contain her emotions as her scores came through, a 155.77 for the free easily putting her atop the podium. She put her head into her hands and then raised both arms in celebration.

Belgium's Loena Hendrickx won the silver medal behind two stirring programs - including a free skate that brought the audience to its feet before she was finished, as well, totalling 217.70. She is her country's first world medallist in women's singles.

Sixteen-year-old Alysa Liu of the U.S. had a spell-binding free skate, landing her triple Axel (though it was called under-rotated) to open - and scoring a 139.28 to total a 211.19 overall.

She wins the United States its first world medal in women's singles since Ashley Wagner captured silver in 2016.

Liu's American teammate Mariah Bell also had a standout free herself, though it was marked by small errors. She finished fourth with a 208.66. You Young of South Korea rounded out the top five with a 204.91.

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Sakamoto: 'It was all very difficult'

Earlier this month, the International Skating Union announced that "no skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia and Belarus shall be invited or allowed to participate in international ice skating competitions," including the world championships.

That meant the women's field was without reigning Olympic and world champion Anna Shcherbakova, among other top female skaters.

Sakamoto, who had finished behind Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova last month in Beijing, had been favoured since the field no longer included Russian skaters. She said it was an uphill battle to ready herself mentally for each skate.

"It was all very difficult, but it was worth it," an emotional Sakamoto told the arena crowd in attendance. "I want to thank all my coaches because without them it wouldn’t be possible. I like to think I managed to pay them back with this."

She added: "Four years ago, I didn’t compete at the Worlds because I felt burned out. It wasn’t easy to get ready for this just a month after the Games, but I’m glad I did."

"Beating myself was the goal for the season," she said to reporters. "Regardless of what the competition was, I wanted to give it everything I had each and every time - and I managed to do that. I was fried after the Olympics and wasn’t sure how things would turn out here. But as trying as the experience has been, I also felt it was kind of a privilege. I’m glad I went through it all.

Sakamoto becomes the sixth Japanese woman to win Worlds:

• Asada Mao - 2008, 2010, 2014
• Ando Miki - 2007, 2011
• Arakawa Shizuka - 2004
• Sato Yuka - 1994
• Ito Midori -1989

Women's free skate: Strong skating shines

The top three skaters brought their fierce best in the final group of skaters, starting with the 16-year-old Liu, who was appearing in her first senior-level World Championships. The teen had won U.S. titles at ages 13 and 14, and though she lost the quad jumps she possessed in juniors, she put out her triple Axel attempt and then skated from strength to strength in a beautiful performance of "Violin Concerto in D."

"I came into this competition not thinking about medals," Liu told reporters. "I just wanted to do good programs. When I saw that I medalled, I was like, 'What?' I'm in shock."

While the Korean You would falter in her free skate, it was only the small mistakes that would hold Bell from claiming her spot on the podium.

The U.S. champion received negative GOEs (Grades of Execution) on two of her jumping passes, and also failed to do a three-jump combination with the loop jump - a costly error.

Hendrickx would follow, the 22-year-old having battled both a groin and an ankle injury prior to worlds. Her "Mizmar vs. Violin" medley grew in strength as she did, and she was called only for small under-rotations on two different jumps.

She ended the program on her knees and back in her final pose - and let the crowd's roar wash over her.

"I'm speechless," she said after. "I'm just super happy. All my hard work paid off. To stand here with a silver medal, this is unbelievable. To do this for myself and to do this for Belgium, I'm so proud."

She continued: "I wanted to give it one last time. That's what I kept in my mind - I just wanted to fight for two more programs. I put my mind on the skating. It worked out. I'm super proud that I came to the World Championships and showed everyone that I'm a strong person."

Sakamoto: 'I'm speechless to be in their company'

Sakamoto said she battled nerves all day, but it wasn't apparent as her "No More Fight Left in Me" and "Tris" medley began. She was clean off of a double Axel, then hit seven triples in the program, including three in combination.

In a season that included a Grand Prix victory at home, a national title, a bronze at the Winter Games and now a world title - Sakamoto, skating last - showed that she was superior not only on the night: She topped both the technical and Program Component (artistry) marks.

She clearly reveled in the accomplishment as she was ushered from one to-do to the next, including interviews, the medal ceremony, TV requests and more.

She reflected on the history she is now a part of - and the Japanese women who came before her: "[When Asada won Worlds] in 2014, I was in the second year of junior high. I had no idea what the quality of competition was like at the world level, didn’t even [compete at] the Junior Grand Prix. Mao, Akiko Suzuki, Miki Ando - they were skaters that I watched and looked up to. I’m speechless to be in their company."