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@mainichiphoto#フィギュアスケート All-Japan training camp. There was also a scene where players handed over purchased items at the goods section. From the right, the photos are #坂本花織, #鍵山優真, and #千葉百音 players. Featured photos
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Three-Time World Champion Kaori Sakamoto to Retire After 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, Plans Coaching Career
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Japanese figure skater Kaori Sakamoto, a three-time consecutive world champion from 2022 to 2024 and bronze medalist at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, announced her retirement from competitive skating at the end of the 2025-2026 season. The 25-year-old made the announcement during the opening ceremony of the new Sysmex Kobe Ice Campus in her hometown of Kobe. Sakamoto stated she intends to retire after competing in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, marking a deliberate career endpoint as she will turn 26 that year and considers it an appropriate time to conclude her competitive career. She debuted with victories at the Four Continents and Japan National Championships in 2018 and also earned a silver medal in the team event at the Beijing Olympics. Following her retirement, Sakamoto plans to transition into coaching, aiming to support athletes to achieve silver or higher in both team and individual events. Her final competitive season will culminate with the 2026 Winter Olympics, which she regards as the capstone of her skating career.
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