Kaori Sakamoto “I cried so much at this Grand Prix Final, I must have lost 30% of my body’s water.” and “At Nationals I want to deliver a performance that people will say, ‘This is Sakamoto.’”
Kaori Sakamoto on winning bronze at the Grand Prix Final
original source: Nikkansports 7th. Decembr 2025 by Katsube Kota / Hochi News 7th December 2025
Kaori Sakamoto, after winning bronze at the Grand Prix Final, expressed her determination to continue improving ahead of the Japanese Nationals and welcomed the fierce competition for Olympic selection. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on Nikkansports and Hochi.
In an interview the next day after the short program, she reflected, “For now, I feel relieved. I made an unexpected mistake in the short program, so honestly, I was in a bit of a giving-up mode, but so many people supported me. I managed to reset for the free skate, and being one of the top two Japanese skaters was huge.”
Sakamoto credited her comeback to encouragement from her coaches, Ms. Nakano and Mr. Graham, during official practice. “They told me, ‘If that’s good enough for you, fine, but if you want to be something, do it properly.’ That made me realize I had to step up, and it really fired me up,” she said.
Sakamoto’s eyes filled with tears of emotion after the free sakte. During post-performance interviews, she learned she had secured the bronze medal and was momentarily stunned, exclaiming, “Eh?” before tears began to flow. “I cried so much at this Grand Prix, I must have lost 30% of my body’s water,” she said, shedding tears of joy in contrast to the disappointment of the SP.
Despite mistakes in both the SP and free skate at this event, Sakamoto viewed the experience positively: “This experience was a valuable lesson.” She will retire at the end of this season and aims to finish with a fifth consecutive national title. “I want to deliver a performance that people will say, ‘This is Sakamoto.’”
A tough battle is expected at Nationals, but Sakamoto smiled and said, “Now, with four seniors in the Final this year and five last year, the domestic competition has become fiercer than ever, and that’s really a good thing.” She added, “The Japanese Nationals are truly special and unique, with an atmosphere you can’t experience at any other event. I want to practice hard for the next ten days and aim for scores close to my personal best in both the SP and free skate.”
By finishing among the top two Japanese skaters at the Final, she gained an advantage for Olympic selection, but as she has announced her retirement at the end of this season, this will be her final chance for a fifth consecutive national title. “I want to win. Just like at the Beijing Olympics, I want to secure my spot with a single victory. I want to feel at ease as soon as possible – even a minute or a second earlier. I’m determined to finish with a win,” she told.
Related topics: grand prix final, Kaori Sakamoto
A very interesting grand prix final overall this season, with some unexpected results, but still it’s the olympic season ! So exciting to watch and to follow !
Kaori Sakamoto really is a great skater.