Figure skating-Japan's Sakamoto dazzles in free skate to defend world title

SAITAMA, Japan : Japan's Kaori Sakamoto claimed back-to-back world titles with a mesmerising free skate for the women's individual gold medal on Friday as Madison Chock and Evan Bates dazzled in the rhythm dance segment at the figure skating world championships.

Sakamoto was in tears in the kiss-and-cry recalling memories of dropping to fifth from second at the same venue in 2019, but it was only joy and relief for the 22-year-old as her overall score of 224.61 flashed on the Saitama Super Arena screen.

Victory was achieved thanks to breathtaking run to "Elastic Heart" by Sia during which the Beijing Olympics bronze medallist executed a double axel and a triple Lutz before impressing the technical panel with her combination jumps.

She also became the first women to capture successive world championships titles since Evgenia Medvedeva in 2016-17.

"I felt a lot of support here," Sakamoto, who led the field with a short programme score of 79.24, told the rapturous crowd. "Initially it was a lot of anxiety and tension, but I was able to turn that into a strength, so thanks for that."

South Korea's Lee Hae-in won silver with a score of 220.94 while Loena Hendrickx of Belgium took bronze with 210.42.

Earlier, Americans Chock and Bates scored 91.94 in the rhythm dance segment of the ice dance competition as they chase a first world title with Olympic and world champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron not competing this season.

"We're thrilled with the score," Bates, who bagged the Four Continents title with Chock last month, said of the pair's new personal best that they achieved while performing to a "Let's Dance" remix.

"It's always nice when you come off the ice feeling like you've skated well and then you see a score