Kaori Sakamoto won a silver medal in women's figure skating at the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, expressing her emotions after narrowly missing the gold due to a minor mistake.
Kaori Sakamoto captured a silver medal in the women's free skating event at the Winter Olympics held in Milan-Cortina, though her performance was marred by a slight misstep that prevented her from reaching gold. The 25-year-old athlete began her routine with a strong double axel but faltered on her fifth jump by performing a single jump instead of the intended combination of a flip and a loop. Despite this error, she managed to surpass her competitor, Ami Nakai, to secure the silver medal, only 1.89 points behind American skater Alissa Liu, who took gold.
As she processed her score, Sakamoto embraced her coach, Sonoko Nakano, and shed tears of both joy and disappointment. In her reflections post-competition, she noted the significance of her journey, considering that the silver medal surpassed her previous bronze medal win at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. She expressed gratitude for the support she received from her teammates and acknowledged the bright future of Japanese figure skating, especially with talented young competitors like Nakai emerging.
Looking back at her Olympic experience, Sakamoto described it as fulfilling, highlighting the inspiration she drawn from various events and athletes throughout the games. She revealed her intent to retire after the season, making her commendable performance her final appearance on such a grand stage, where she showcased her skills and resilience, cementing her legacy in the sport.
