Kaori Sakamoto ends career with fourth world title as Glenn falls out of medals | Figure skating
Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto capped her competitive career with her fourth world title in the women’s singles at the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague, Czechia, on Friday.
The 25-year-old ended a historic skating career that included four Olympic medals, including two silvers at this year’s Milan Cortina Games, with a personal best of 238.28 after a stirring free skate performance at the O2 Arena. She is the first female solo skater to win four world championships since Michelle Kwan, who won her fifth in 2003.
Sakamoto is well ahead of compatriot Mone Chiba, who finished second with 228.47 after finishing fourth at the Olympics. Belgian Nina Pinzarrone was a surprise bronze medalist (215.20) after finishing 13th in Milan.
American Isabeau Levito, silver medalist at the 2024 world championships, finished fourth, a month from her 12th place in her Olympic debut. Fellow American Amber Glenn started the free skate in third place, but fell to sixth place after two vault errors.
American Alysa Liu withdrew from the competition after winning the gold medal in Milan last month.
The rhythm dance of the ice dancing competition also took place on Friday. French Olympic champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron are comfortably in the lead entering the free dance after recording a personal best of 92.74. Olympic bronze medalists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada are second with 86.45 and the British team of Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson (85.09) are third.
American silver medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates opted not to pursue their fourth consecutive world championship after narrowly falling short in Milan.
