At the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, Japan's top skaters Kaori Sakamoto, Ami Nakai, and Mone Chiba positioned themselves for medals in the women's short program on Tuesday. Sakamoto, in her penultimate Olympic skate, performed to 'Time to Say Goodbye' and scored 77.23 points for second place behind her 17-year-old teammate Nakai, setting up a bid for her first Olympic gold on Thursday.
Japan's leading figure skaters delivered strong performances in the women's short program on Tuesday at the Milano Cortina Games, positioning themselves for a competitive podium battle later in the week. At the Milano Ice Skating Arena, Kaori Sakamoto took it all in during what she described as her penultimate Olympic skate, performing to 'Time to Say Goodbye' by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman without major errors to earn 77.23 points and secure second place behind her 17-year-old teammate Ami Nakai.
Nakai led the field, while Sakamoto and Mone Chiba also placed themselves in medal contention. The Japanese athletes set up a tense fight for spots on the podium. Sakamoto now eyes her first Olympic gold medal in the free skate on Thursday, as Team Japan rises to the occasion in the event.
