Kaori Sakamoto, a 25-year-old figure skater from Kobe, Japan, is set to compete in the women's singles event at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on the morning of February 18 Japan time. This will be Sakamoto's third appearance at the Olympics, following her bronze medal win at the Beijing Games. Her childhood friend, Ayumi Kagotani, expressed her wishes for Sakamoto to perform a routine that reflects all the hard work she has put into her skating career.

The long-standing friendship between Sakamoto and Kagotani began when they met at a skating lesson for children before entering elementary school. They both joined the 'Kobe Club' around the same time and trained closely together, having attended the same local schools and progressed to Kobe Noda High School thereafter. Kagotani points to a pivotal moment in Sakamoto's career that occurred during a national competition in her third year of middle school when Sakamoto failed to qualify for the free program after a poor short program performance, leaving her noticeably upset.

This experience marked a turning point for Sakamoto, according to Kagotani, as Sakamoto began to adopt a more serious approach to her training and competition preparation, leading her on a path toward becoming a top athlete. The dedication and work ethic displayed by Sakamoto throughout her career not only shaped her professional journey but also had a profound impact on Kagotani's own life, inspiring her ambitions following university graduation.