3-time world champion Sakamoto dominates short program at her last NHK Trophy event

Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto dominated the short program on Friday, putting herself in prime position to defend her title at what she says will be her final NHK Trophy.

Sakamoto said in June she will retire from competition after next year's Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

Skating to "Time to Say Goodbye," Sakamoto landed a triple lutz, a double axel and a triple flip-triple toe loop combination on her way to a season-best score of 77.05, almost 10 points ahead of Sofia Samodelkina of Kazakhstan who was second with 67.75.

South Korea's You Young was third with 67.66.

After winning three consecutive world championships through 2024, Sakamoto finished second at this year's worlds in Boston in March.

The 25-year-old won the women's singles bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.

Sakamoto finished second behind 17-year-old compatriot Ami Nakai at the season-opening Grand Prix de France last month and came to her home Grand Prix aiming to regain her dominance.

"I was a little nervous since arriving here but was able to put that behind me and skate a solid program," Sakamoto said. "I completed all my jumps successfully and will look to continue that in the free skate tomorrow."

World champion Kaori Sakamoto leads the women’s short program at NHK Trophy

Japan's best hope for a medal at the Olympics, Sakamoto will have to contend with Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian in Italy. The 17-year-old Petrosian has won two straight national titles and is unbeaten over the past two seasons, winning eight straight domestic events.

She qualified for the Olympics by winning the gold medal at the ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating qualifier in Beijing in September.

The 2024 European Champion Loena Hendrickx returned