Figure skating-Japan's Sakamoto on pace for fourth world title in Prague

PRAGUE, March 25 : Japan's Kaori Sakamoto surged into the lead in the women's singles short programme at the world figure skating championships on Wednesday, putting her on course for a fourth world title in the final competitive event of her career.

The sentimental favourite, who won a silver medal at last month's Milano Cortina Olympics, delivered a polished performance to "Time to Say Goodbye" by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman that had fans dabbing at tears to score 79.31 points.

Mone Chiba of Japan, who was fourth at the Olympics, scored 78.45 for second, while American Amber Glenn heads into Friday's free skate in third with 72.65.

The women's field was missing Olympic and world champion Alysa Liu, with the American skipping the event due to a packed post-Games off-ice schedule.

It is common for skaters to withdraw from the world championships in an Olympic season after an intense, months-long draining run.

Olympic bronze medallists Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany took a narrow lead following the pairs short programme, in a field missing Japan's Olympic champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara. 

The 25-year-old Sakamoto, who plans to pursue a coaching career after the worlds, was a puddle of tears in Milan after missing Olympic gold to Liu by less than two points.

On Wednesday, she executed a clean triple Lutz, double Axel and triple flip-triple toe loop combination, and waved her hands in delight when her season's best score was announced.

"Obviously it was a special season and I was given this special song to skate to for this last season," Sakamoto said.

"So, I am very happy that I was able to put in 22 years of skating career in this last, special season. I'm satisfied (with my performance)."

Sakamo