Kaori Sakamoto: “When Alysa delivered her perfect performance, I thought, “Well, I’ve lost.” I was truly happy for Alysa’s victory, but that happiness was followed by overwhelming frustration.”
Kaori Sakamoto about winning silver at the 2025 World Championships.
original source: Nikkansports dd. March 29th 2025 by Matsumoto Wataru
Kaori Sakamoto (24) a three-time world champion shared her emotions about winning silver at the 2025 Worlds. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on Nikkansports.
“Right after my performance, I felt genuinely proud of myself for working so hard. But after watching the four skaters who followed me, I cried so much and felt so moved that it was hard to process my emotions. When Alysa delivered her perfect performance, I thought, “Well, I’ve lost.” I was truly happy for Alysa’s victory, but that happiness was followed by overwhelming frustration — it was the most disappointed I’ve ever felt. I couldn’t stop crying, no matter how much I tried. It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a heartbreaking competition,” told Sakamoto.
“Of course, the mistake in the short program had a significant impact, but at the same time, I’m proud of how I pushed myself today. Honestly, I haven’t fully processed my feelings yet. I kept thinking about what I would say, but there hasn’t been enough time. Watching others’ performances, then heading straight to the awards ceremony — it all happened so quickly. For now, I’ve just been going with the flow, and here I am (laughs),” she added.
Answering the reporter’s question of whether she felt like she overcame herself and gave everything in the free program, Kaori said: “The Euler-Salchow combination scared me a bit, but I thought, “This is no time for mistakes.” Even as the axis wobbled, I told myself I had to land it no matter what, and I fought hard to make it stick. I think that helped me to regain control and maintain the momentum afterward. From around the triple-triple jump onward, even though my music is quite intense (laughs), the cheers and applause from the American crowd were even louder, and they pushed me all the way to the end. I was thinking, “I don’t want this to stop,” and somehow, I managed to finish, so I’m glad.”
“From yesterday or maybe even earlier Wakaba (Higuchi) and I talked about giving it our all. This morning, while I was doing my makeup, I suddenly got a message from her saying, “Let’s give it our best, okay?” Even while doing my makeup, I almost started crying, and she said, “Let’s both make it onto the podium together.” I laughed and told her, “Stop, I’m trying to do my makeup!” (laughs). I think when Wakaba says things like that, it shows she’s feeling confident and ready, so I wasn’t worried about her. But when I watched her performance, from the Lutz-Axel-Toe combination onwards, I couldn’t stop crying.”
Speaking about how she felt just before her performance, Sakamoto noted: “I was just as nervous as I was before the short program, if not more so. On the bus to the venue, I thought, “Oh no, I’m going to cry.” As soon as I arrived, my coach said, “Why are you looking so anxious?” and I suddenly started tearing up on the spot. I felt like I was at maximum nerves and could cry at any moment. But I talked to several people and regained my composure, carrying that calmness forward into the competition. Once I finished, though, it was tears, tears, tears all over again.”
When asked about keeping her motivation, Kaori responded: “Earning a medal as part of the team at the Beijing Olympics and then winning an individual bronze medal had a huge impact on me. At the time, I was aiming for a medal, but I genuinely never believed it would actually happen. The outcome surprised even me. That experience made me think, “I want to feel this sense of accomplishment again.” And to have that experience again, I knew I had to aim for another Olympics.
So I declared that I would keep working hard for another four years, and I’ve been pushing myself throughout these three years. Now, with just one season left, I know this upcoming year is my time to show the results of all that effort.”
Sakamoto’s coach Nakano said, “This was a necessary loss,” and she was asked whether she agrees. “I think so,” told Kaori. “Up until now, there was always talk about consecutive titles or being the favorite to win, but starting over from zero has given me a sense of relief. It’s significant for me to now be in a position of chasing rather than being chased. Experiencing that at this World Championships has been a major milestone and turning point for me.
She also commented on sitting in the leader’s chair and watching everyone, saying “That seat is cruel. Even if you’re winning, you can’t fully celebrate. It’s a really tough place to be.”
Related topics: Kaori Sakamoto, world championship
Agree. Sadistic is the right word for it. Felt sorry for the athletes. Hope never to see such a chair again.
Yes, it’s a bit sadistic to put the leader on that chair and make them watch everyone skate. You must feel so nervous, ah.