Japanese figure skating icon Kaori Sakamoto clinched her fourth world crown with a career-best performance in her final competitive skate.
KAORI Sakamoto crowned her illustrious career with a fourth world figure skating title in a triumphant farewell performance.
The retiring Japanese star delivered a personal best free skate score of 158.97 for a total of 238.28, skating an elegant routine to a medley of Edith Piaf classics.
Compatriot Mone Chiba claimed the silver medal nearly 10 points behind, while Belgium’s Nina Pinzarrone won bronze as US champion Amber Glenn fell to sixth.
Sakamoto led the competition from start to finish, reclaiming the title she held for three consecutive years from 2022 to 2024.
An emotional Sakamoto punched the air after her performance to “Je ne regrette rien”, having delivered under pressure following Chiba’s strong earlier skate.
She wiped away tears as her scores were announced, later embracing the 20-year-old Chiba who was delighted with her silver.
Chiba’s skate to the “Romeo and Juliet” soundtrack also earned her personal best scores of 150.02 in the free skate and 228.47 overall.
With four world titles, Sakamoto ranks fifth all-time among women’s figure skaters.
She is tied with legends Lily Kronberger and Katarina Witt and becomes the first woman since Michelle Kwan in 2003 to win four world championships.
In the absence of reigning Olympic and world champion Alysa Liu, Sakamoto’s victory marks a stunning end to her competitive career.
Earlier, Olympic ice dance champions Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry dominated the rhythm dance.
The French pair broke their season record with 92.74 points skating to a programme inspired by Madonna’s “Vogue”.
They hold a comfortable lead of more than six points over Canadians Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier heading into Saturday’s free dance final.
