Milano Cortina 2026: Japanese Figure Skater Kaori Sakamoto’s Finale Mixed with Tears of Frustration, Smiles

By Hiroyuki Okada / Yomiuri Shimbun Sportswriter

2:00 JST, February 21, 2026

MILAN — At the Milano Cortina Olympics, Kaori Sakamoto was in high spirits for her final grand stage in her competitive figure skating career, but ended up shedding tears of frustration in the women’s singles free program on Thursday.

Japan’s ace skater was unable to improve her score as she failed to execute a combination jump in the second half of her free stake. That performance earned her the silver medal, one step above the bronze she took in Beijing four years ago. Yet tears welled up in her eyes as she said, “It’s frustrating.”

In June last year, Sakamoto announced her retirement from competition at the end of this season at a ceremony to mark the completion of the first year-round ice rink in Kobe, her hometown.

“I thought it would be good timing, at the Olympics where I’ll be competing at 25,” she said.

Sakamoto beamed as she made the statement, as the rink is where her next chapter as coach will begin next season. “I want to nurture skaters who will take flight from here. But for now, I’ll do what I can as a competitive skater,” she said.

At her final Olympics, she would aim for the gold.

Sakamoto began competitive figure skating at the age of 4. In elementary school, she traveled around Osaka and elsewhere in the Kansai region to practice in rinks rented out for private use.

“Honestly, I think I was at a significant disadvantage,” she recalled. “But experiencing different ice surfaces built my adaptability. Since we could rent out [a rink] only for 1½ hours, that also honed my ability to concentrate.”

The strength cultivated under these circumstances gave Sakamoto her competitive edge, enabling her to win in major competitions, including three consecutive World Championship titles.

“Because I always delivered results at crucial moments, I can’t help but wonder why I couldn’t here. It’s terribly frustrating,” Sakamoto said after her free skate at the Olympics.

Even as the tears continued to flow after the medal ceremony, she managed to find the words: “The fact that I feel frustrated with a silver medal shows how much I’ve grown over these past four years. I want to give myself credit for that growth.”

Sakamoto later calmed down upon seeing the faces of her friends who cheered for her at the venue and fellow Japanese team members like Ryuichi Kihara, with whom she competed in the team event.

“I couldn’t give it my all, but hearing them say, ‘We’re glad Kao [Sakamoto] is here with us,’ made me happy,” she said.

While it wasn’t her ideal finale, Sakamoto waved with a smile to the packed spectator stands.