Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) claimed her second World title on home ice at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, becoming the first Japanese Skater to win back-to-back World titles.
Kaori Sakamoto wins second title for Japan
Kaori Sakamoto of Japan made her country proud by winning her second consecutive World title, becoming the first Japanese Skater to win back-to-back World titles. Korea’s Haein Lee earned the silver medal, her first World medal while Loena Hendrickx of Belgium secured the bronze, her second World medal.
Short Program leader Sakamoto was last to skate and opened her program to “Elastic Heart” with a huge double Axel and followed up with three triple jumps. When she singled her flip, the crowd at Saitama Arena gasped in shock, but the World Champion reacted instantly and salvaged the combination by adding a triple toe.
Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) wins gold in the Women’s competition at the World Championships in Saitama (JPN) © ISU
Sakamoto went on to complete a double Axel-triple toe-double toe, a triple loop and picked up a level four for two spins and the footwork. Coming off the ice, the Japanese star cried in disappointment over her mistake, but when the score and the final result came up, tears of disappointment turned into tears of happiness. Sakamato was ranked second in the Free Skating with 145.37 points and held on to first place at 224.61 points.
“I was disappointed because I made the same mistake as I did four years ago (at the ISU World Championships 2019 in Saitama). However, I was able to recover from that and so I think I did grow from last time,” Sakamoto said.
“Last season I won Olympic bronze and the World Championship and there was huge pressure, this was the biggest challenge for me this season. At first I didn’t handle it so well, and there were many disappointments at the beginning of the season, but I was able to overcome that at the Japanese Nationals,” she explained.
“I wanted to achieve the back-to-back World titles by being super happy, but I feel a little regret and disappointed. The moment I popped the flip, I thought ‘I need to do the triple toe! I can’t make a mistake from here anymore’. Instantly I told myself to forget about that mistake and refocused.”
Skating to “Phantom of the Opera”, Haein Lee delivered as well as she had in the Short Program, reeling off six clean triples and level-four spins and steps. The only glitch was a slight underrotation on a triple toe.
Haein Lee (KOR) takes silver in the Women’s competition at the World Championships in Saitama (JPN) © ISU
The ISU Four Continents Champion posted a personal best of 147.32 to win the Free Skating segment and totaled 220.94 points to win the first World medal for Korea since Yuna Kim (KOR) struck gold in 2013.
“Coming into this World Championship I really wasn’t expecting to get a medal, and after the short program I was really happy about the fact that I had a small medal,” Lee told the press.
“Today I was able to bring a clean program, this was huge happiness for me and achieving the first World medal in 10 years, after Yuna Kim, is such a huge honor for me. I’ll take this as a sign to work harder after this season,” she continued.
“In the first part of the season I had lots of problems, but I learned to overcome difficulties, to pull myself together. The courage to overcome my hardships is the biggest asset from this season for me,” Lee concluded.
Hendrickx stood in fifth place following the Short Program and came out determined to do better. Skating to “Poeta” and “Fallen Angel”, the 2022 World silver medalist produced five triples including a triple Lutz-triple toe, but missed her solo triple Lutz.
Loena Hendrickx (BEL) takes bronze in the Women’s competition at the World Championships in Saitama (JPN) © ISU
She ranked fourth in the Free Skating with 138.48 points but moved up to third overall at 210.42 points.
“Despite the fall on the Lutz, I think I had a really strong program, and to earn a second world medal for Belgium and myself is just an amazing feeling,” the European silver medalist said.
“The pressure was new this season. I knew the competitions in the first half were not so good, but I kept working hard. For me, to enjoy competing more, and to believe in myself is what I want to take into next season.”
ISU Grand Prix Final silver medalist and 2022 ISU World Junior Champion Isabeau Levito (USA) overcame a fall early into her program to “My Sweet and Tender Beast”, to recover well and to finish fourth in her World debut on 207.65 points. ISU Grand Prix Final Champion Mai Mihara (JPN) slipped from third to fifth after a few errors (205.70 points). Chaeyeon Kim (KOR), another newcomer, rose from 12th to sixth with the third-best Free Skating (203.51 points).
Skaters/Couples need to have obtained a minimum total technical score in Short Program and Free Skating in order to compete at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships.
Following the IOC recommendation and in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions, the ISU Council based on Article 17.1.q)i) of the ISU Constitution, agreed that with immediate effect and until further notice, no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events. The same applies to Officials listed in the respective ISU Communications and/or Regulations under Russia and Belarus (see ISU Communication 2469).
Schedule of the event
The schedule of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships is as follows:
Wednesday, March 22: Pairs & Women’s Short Programs
Thursday, March 23: Pairs Free Skating & Men’s Short Program
Friday, March 24: Rhythm Dance & Women’s Free Skating
Saturday, March 25: Free Dance & Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, March 26: Exhibition Gala
For full entries and results, please see the ISU event page and the official website. Follow the discussion on social media using #WorldFigure and #FigureSkating.
Where to watch the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023:
The ISU World Figure Skating Championships will be live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-restrictions will apply in markets where TV rights are in place. You will find the full list on the Where to Watch webpage here.
Subscribe to the Skating ISU YouTube Channel to receive alerts when the live streams start and when new videos are posted.
.png)
