Kaori Sakamoto: “I’ve grown so much – from the miracle of winning bronze in Beijing to being disappointed with silver here. I’m glad I worked hard these four years.”
Kaori Sakamoto concluded her Olympic career with a silver medal in women’s figure skating at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, securing back-to-back individual Olympic medals and making history as the first Japanese woman to achieve multiple medals across two Games, including the team event.
original source: Hochi News dd. 20th February 2026 by Shota Otani
Kaori Sakamoto, competing in her third consecutive Olympic Games, won the silver medal in women’s figure skating. This marks her second consecutive Olympic medal after winning bronze at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and her historic feat of earning multiple medals across two Games alongside the team event marks a first for Japanese women’s figure skating. Here’s a translation of their comments.
Sakamoto’s free skate was not flawless, as her planned triple flip–triple toe loop combination turned into a single jump. After completing her program, she embraced her coach Sonoko Nakano and cried tears of disappointment.
“I feel so frustrated that I wasn’t able to give 100% until the very end. But, at the same time, winning a silver medal despite that frustration shows that all the effort I’ve put in has paid off,” Sakamoto reflected. She added, “At the last Olympics, my bronze medal felt like a miracle, and I was so thrilled. This time, even though I’ve earned an even brighter medal, the disappointment still lingers. That feeling is proof of the hard work I put in over these four years while striving for gold. Feeling this frustration shows how much I’ve grown.”
In June of last year, Sakamoto announced that this would be her final competitive season, explaining, “Rather than dragging on for another two or three years, I wanted to put a proper end to it. I’d be 29 if I aimed for the 2030 Olympics, which I decided wasn’t possible.”
“My goal at this final Olympics was to show what kind of skater I am,” Sakamoto said.
Sakamoto, known for her vibrant personality, led Team Japan with her signature positivity. Asked what she most wanted to do after her Olympic performance, she smiled and said, “Right now, I’m extremely upset, so I think I’d really like to cry!”
Related topics: Kaori Sakamoto, Olympic Games
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