Mone Chiba, a figure skater competing in the women's singles free skate at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, fell short of a bronze medal by just 1.28 points. Upon realizing the results, she embraced silver medalist Kaho Sakamoto, as both athletes were overwhelmed with emotion. Chiba remarked that tears flowed before words could articulate their feelings of disappointment for not medaling, despite having placed fourth in the short program with potential to aim for a medal in the free skate.

Choosing 'Romeo and Juliet' for her performance, which was also the piece that revered figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu skated to during the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Chiba had moments of success yet encountered difficulty during the crucial back-to-back jumps in her routine. Her score of 143.88 fell just shy of her personal best, leading her to acknowledge the swath of emotions during her performance but indicating she understood the areas she needed to improve.

Despite the immediate feelings of disappointment, Chiba is already looking ahead, planning to focus on the upcoming World Championships in March in Prague, Czech Republic. Reflecting on the future, especially regarding the next Olympics in four years, she stated that it's uncertain, but she intends to take things step by step, striving to improve year by year and day by day, showing resilience and determination in her journey as a competitive skater.