Figure skater Kaori Sakamoto, 26, held her retirement press conference on Wednesday, ending a historic career that saw her become the first Japanese woman to compete in three consecutive Olympic Games. At the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games, she claimed silver medals in both the individual and team events, adding to a total of four Olympic medals—tying Yuma Kagiyama for the most by any Japanese figure skater.
Below is a summary of Sakamoto’s key achievements:
◆ Olympic Milestones: Won four medals across two Games: team silver and individual bronze at Beijing 2022, then team and individual silver at Milan-Cortina 2026. This ties Kagiyama for the most Olympic medals by a Japanese skater. She is also the first Japanese woman to medal at two consecutive Olympics.
◆ Three Consecutive Olympic Appearances: Debuted as a 17-year-old at PyeongChang 2018, then competed at Beijing 2022 and Milan-Cortina 2026—a first for a Japanese woman.
◆ Four World Championship Titles: Competed at seven World Championships since 2019, winning gold in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2026. Her four titles surpass Mao Asada’s three, making her the most decorated Japanese skater across all disciplines. In her final competition at the 2026 World Championships, she won with a personal best total score of 238.28 points.
◆ Five Consecutive Japan National Titles: Has won the Japan Championships every year since 2021, joining an elite group of skaters with five or more consecutive titles. Including her first win in 2018, she has claimed the national championship six times in total.
