Kaori Sakamoto: “To be able to skate alone at the Olympic venue, I thought, what a luxury.”
Kaori Sakamoto, a three-time Olympic figure skating participant, reflects on her practice session at the Milano-Cortina Olympic venue, expressing gratitude for the opportunity and focusing on enjoying her final Olympic experience.
original source: Hochi News dd. 3d February 2026
The official practice for women took place, and Kaori Sakamoto, who is participating in her third consecutive Olympics, adjusted for the first time at the actual venue. Here’s a translation of her comments.
She practiced alone for 35 minutes, reflecting, “To be able to skate alone at the Olympic venue, I thought, what a luxury. The 35 minutes flew by, and I had a good practice.”
She entered the rink at 8:15 PM local time. With a few local volunteers watching intently from the rink side, she first landed a double axel, followed by a triple salchow and lutz. She smoothly landed a triple loop and a series of jumps from a double axel.
About 15 minutes into practice, she played the music for her free program “Hymn to Love,” landing a double axel followed by a triple flip and a triple lutz-double toe loop combination. Although she made several jump mistakes in the latter half, she remained optimistic, saying, “This was the first practice here, and I couldn’t quite grasp it yet. It’s not that my physical condition is bad, so I think I can adjust and improve.”
For Japanese women, this marks the first time to participate in three consecutive Olympics. The team event, expected to include her, will begin on the 6th. Compared to the past two Olympics, she feels more at ease, saying, “It feels more natural.” Sakamoto, who has announced her retirement at the end of this season, is focusing on enjoying her last Olympics. “First, I want to enjoy it. It’s truly the last chance to experience this among athletes. I want to enjoy it, do what I need to do, and skate my best.”
Related topics: Kaori Sakamoto, Olympic Games
Leave a Reply