Kaori Sakamoto: “In the first half of my skating career, my strong point was the impact of my jumps. In the latter half of my career, I had more chances to work on my skating, and the flow and speed of my skating became my weapon.”

At her retirement press conference, Kaori Sakamoto reflected on how her strengths evolved throughout her career, from powerful jumps to unmatched skating skills, and charmed the audience with her humor.

original source: Nikkansports 13th May 2026

Kaori Sakamoto (26), a women’s figure skater, held her retirement press conference in her hometown of Kobe on the 13th, where she spoke about her strongest points as a skater. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on Nikkansports.

Searching for the right words, she mused, “My weapon, my weapon, my weapon…” and then began, “It’s mostly in the latter half, but I’d say my skating flow.” She recalled that when she first moved up to seniors, her main strength was the power of her jumps: “In the first half of my skating career, my strong point was the impact of my jumps, and I thought that was how I would compete.” She added, “In my first and second years as a senior, I felt I couldn’t win unless I landed my jumps. Since my base scores were lower than other skaters, I focused on earning extra points with my jumps.”

Later, as she had more opportunities to work on her skating, her strengths shifted. “In the latter half of my career, I had more chances to work on my skating, and the flow and speed of my skating became my weapon. I think that’s the one area where I can’t be beaten,” she said with pride.

However, she admitted, “It’s hard to sum it up in one word,” with a smile. She then playfully asked the reporters, “Can anyone think of a good word? Raise your hand!” making the room laugh. “It’s starting to feel like school. With that lead-in, let’s hear everyone’s one word,” she continued, showing her trademark lightheartedness and keeping the atmosphere warm until the end.

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