“My strategy is not to look! I won’t pay attention to what’s happening around me. I’ll focus on myself.” Kaori Sakamoto about the potential return of the Russian skaters as neutrals
Kaori Sakamoto about World Team Trophy and preparing for the Olympic season.
original source: Tokyo Sports dd. April 19th / Hochi News dd. April 20th
In the interview at the World Team Trophy, Kaori Sakamoto spoke about World Team Trophy and start of the Olympic season. Here’s a translation of her comments.
After her performance in the free skate, she expressed her gratitude, saying, “Honestly, without the support of everyone rinkside, I would have completely broken down. That support meant so much to me.”
Although the team fell short of reclaiming the championship title for the first time in four editions, they secured a second-place finish. Sakamoto, who volunteered to be a team captain, reflected on her experience with a smile, saying, “There were moments when I thought, ‘Wow, this is really tough,’ but whenever I stepped onto the rink, I found it so much fun. If I hadn’t been captain, I probably wouldn’t have been as energized.”
“I’m sure that some of the skaters here will experience the Olympic team event in the future. I hope this team competition experience can be put to good use at the Olympics,” she added.
Sakamoto concluded her season’s final competition with a second-place finish in the short program and third place in the free skate. Reflecting on the following day, she shared her thoughts, saying, “This was a season of overcoming so much. For now, I just feel relieved.”
Looking ahead, Sakamoto is set to enter a pivotal year with the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics season approaching. “Even before this season started, I had said that this season and the next would count as one complete period. This marks the halfway point. The first half left me with many challenges to address. It was truly a season of trial and error, but in the end, that was a really valuable experience,” she reflected positively on her turbulent journey throughout the season.
“The biggest issue right now is that my short program has become less stable. Regaining that consistency is my top priority.”
The Milan Olympics will mark the potential return of the Russian skaters. On preparing for this challenge, Sakamoto said with a smile, “My strategy is not to look!” She emphasized, “I won’t pay attention to what’s happening around me. I’ll focus on myself.”
After a brief rest, she will begin work on her new programs. “I want to create programs that showcase my skating skills. To do that, I have to keep improving. I intend to challenge myself to enhance my stability and overall skills,” she stated.
Related topics: Kaori Sakamoto
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