Kaori Sakamoto (坂本花織 Sakamoto Kaori, born April 9, 2000) is a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2022 Winter Olympic bronze medalist, a two-time World champion (2022 & 2023) champion, the 2018 Four Continents champion, and a three-time Japanese national champion (2018-19, 2021-22, and 2022-23).
Personal Life[]
Sakamoto's hobbies include swimming and origami. In 2017, she signed an affiliation agreement with Sysmex Corporation, which will help to fund the financial costs of her competitive figure skating career.
Career[]
2016-17 Season[]
Sakamoto's season began at the 2016 JGP France in Saint Gervais. She received second place after performing a near-clean short program and freeskate, behind Alina Zagitova.
Sakamoto's second Junior Grand Prix event was at 2016 JGP Japan in Yokohama. She led the short program by 0.80 points. In the freeskate, she placed second after under-rotating a jump, behind Marin Honda. She received the highest overall scores, and she won a Junior Grand Prix event for the first time, qualifying for the 2016-17 JGP Final.
At the 2016-17 JGP Final, Sakamoto placed second in the short program. A fall in the freeskate placed her in fourth in the segment, and third overall.
Later that year, Sakamoto placed 7th in Japanese nationals and won Japanese Junior nationals, thus qualifying for the 2017 World Junior Championships.
Sakamoto earned the bronze medal at 2017 World Junior Championships, having placed third in the short program and freeskate. She did not receive a single negative GOE from any of the judges during the competition.
2015-16 Season[]
Sakamoto's first major competition of this season was at 2015 JGP Latvia in Riga. She received the third highest score in the short program after missing an edge on the triple lutz. Despite a fall in the freeskate, she was able to manage second place in the freeskate and overall, behind Maria Sotskova.
Sakamoto's second Junior Grand Prix event was at 2015 JGP Poland in Torún. She finished the short program in third place after a fall, and finished the freeskate in fourth after falling twice. This put her in fourth place overall, and she was subsequently named as the first alternate for qualifying for the 2015-16 JGP Final.
After placing 5th and 13th at Japanese junior and senior championships respectively, Sakamoto qualified for the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. At the Youth Olympics, she placed fifth in the short program and sixth in the freeskate, and sixth place overall.
2014-15 Season[]
Sakamoto's first major competition of this season was at 2014 JGP Japan. She was situated in sixth place after the short program. During the freeskate, she endured three falls and ended up in seventh place overall.
Sakamoto qualified for her first Junior Worlds after placing 2nd and 6th at Japanese junior and senior championships respectively. At Junior Worlds, she placed 4th in the short program. A fall during the freeskate caused her to drop to sixth place overall.
2013-14 Season[]
This season was Sakamoto's first international season. Her first major competition was at 2013 JGP Czech Republic. She was in seventh place after the short program. She placed sixth in the freeskate and overall after receiving deductions for falling and performing for longer than the allotted time as a result of the fall. She competed at senior Japanese nationals for the first time, where she placed 15th.
Programs[]
| Season | Short Program | Freeskate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 |
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| 2021-2022 |
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| 2020-2021 |
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| 2019-2020 |
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| 2018-2019 |
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| 2017-2018 |
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Initial SP: | ||
| 2016-2017 |
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| 2015-2016 |
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| 2014-2015 |
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| 2013-2014 |
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Exhibitions[]
| Season | Music |
|---|---|
| 2022-2023 |
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| 2021-2022 |
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| 2020-2021 |
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| 2019-2020 |
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| 2018-2019 |
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| 2017-2018 |
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| 2016-2017 |
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International Results[]
(Season bests highlighted in bold, personal bests italicized)
| 2023-2024 Season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| October 27 - 29 | 2023 Skate Canada |
1 75.13 |
1 151.00 |
1 226.13 |
| September 14 - 16 | 2023 Skate Canada Autumn Classic |
1 75.62 |
1 127.58 |
1 203.20 |
| 2022-2023 Season | ||||
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| April 13 - 16 | 2023 World Team Trophy |
2 72.69 |
2 145.75 |
3T/2P 218.44 |
| March 22 - 26 | 2023 World Championships |
1 79.24 |
2 145.37 |
1 224.61 |
| February 23 - 26 | 2023 International Challenge Cup |
1 76.85 |
1 151.50 |
1 228.35 |
| January 13 - 15 | 2023 Winter Universiade |
1 78.40 |
2 139.02 |
2 217.42 |
| December 8 - 11 | 2022-23 Grand Prix Final |
1 75.86 |
6 116.70 |
5 192.56 |
| November 18 - 20 | 2022 NHK Trophy |
2 68.07 |
1 133.80 |
2 201.87 |
| October 21 - 23 | 2022 Skate America |
1 71.72 |
1 145.89 |
1 217.61 |
| September 16 - 19 | 2022 Lombardia Trophy |
1 72.93 |
2 132.40 |
2 205.33 |
| 2021-2022 Season | ||||
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| March 21 - 27 | 2022 World Championships |
1 80.32 |
1 155.77 |
1 236.09 |
| February 4 - 20 | 2022 Winter Olympics (Individual) |
3 79.84 |
3 153.29 |
3 233.13 |
| 2022 Winter Olympics (Team Event) |
N/A | 2 148.66 |
3T/2P | |
| November 12 - 14 | 2021 NHK Trophy |
1 76.56 |
1 146.78 |
1 223.34 |
| October 21 - 24 | 2021 Skate America |
4 71.16 |
3 144.77 |
4 215.93 |
| October 13 - 17 | 2021 Asian Open Trophy |
1 76.70 |
2 125.28 |
2 202.28 |
| 2020-2021 Season | ||||
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| April 15 - 18 | 2021 World Team Trophy |
3 77.78 |
2 150.29 |
3T/2P 228.07 |
| March 22 - 28 | 2021 World Championships |
6 70.38 |
5 137.42 |
6 207.80 |
| November 27 - 29 | 2020 NHK Trophy |
1 75.60 |
1 153.91 |
1 229.51 |
| 2019-2020 Season | ||||
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| February 4 - 9 | 2020 Four Continents Championships
 |
4 73.07 |
8 129.72 |
5 202.79 |
| November 1 - 3 | 2019 Internationaux de France
|
6 64.08 |
4 135.16 |
4 199.24 |
| October 17 - 20 | 2019 Skate America
|
2 73.25 |
4 129.22 |
4 202.47 |
| September 20 - 21 | 2019 Ondrej Nepela Trophy
 |
4 59.97 |
2 134.45 |
2 194.42 |
| 2018-2019 Season | ||||
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| April 11 - 14 | 2019 World Team Trophy
|
3 76.95 |
3 146.70 |
2T/3P 223.65 |
| March 18 - 24 | 2019 World Championships
|
2 76.86 |
5 145.97 |
5 222.83 |
| February 5 - 10 | 2019 Four Continents Championships
|
2 73.36 |
4 133.43 |
4 206.79 |
| December 5 - 9 | 2018-19 Grand Prix Final
|
4 70.23 |
4 141.45 |
4 211.68 |
| November 2 - 4 | 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki
 |
7 57.26 |
2 140.16 |
3 197.42 |
| October 19 - 21 | 2018 Skate America
|
2 71.29 |
2 142.61 |
2 213.90 |
| September 13 - 16 | 2018 Lombardia Trophy
|
9 49.91 |
2 130.94 |
4 180.85 |
| 2017-2018 Season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| March 16 - 18 | 2018 Coupe du Printemps
 |
1 73.27 |
2 129.29 |
2 202.56 |
| February 9 - 23 | 2018 Winter Olympics (Individual Event) |
5 73.18 |
6 136.53 |
6 209.71 |
| 2018 Winter Olympics (Team Event) |
N/A | 5 131.91 |
5 | |
| January 22 - 28 | 2018 Four Continents Championships
 |
2 71.34 |
1 142.87 |
1 214.21 |
| November 24 - 26 | 2017 Skate America
|
2 69.40 |
2 141.19 |
2 210.59 |
| October 20 - 22 | 2017 Rostelecom Cup
 |
4 68.88 |
5 125.12 |
5 194.00 |
| September 14 - 16 | 2017 US Classic
|
5 56.82 |
4 112.30 |
4 169.12 |
| August 2 - 5 | 2017 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy
 |
1 63.70 |
1 112.41 |
1 176.11 |
| 2016-2017 Season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| March 13 - 19 | 2017 World Junior Championships
|
Junior | 3 67.78 |
3 127.76 |
3 195.54 |
| December 8 - 11 | 2016-17 JGP Final
|
Junior | 2 64.48 |
4 111.86 |
3 176.33 |
| September 7 - 11 | 2016 JGP Japan
|
Junior | 1 65.66 |
2 122.15 |
1 187.81 |
| August 24 - 27 | 2016 JGP France
|
Junior | 2 64.12 |
2 114.74 |
2 178.86 |
| 2015-2016 Season | |||||
| Date | Competition | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| February 12 - 21 | 2016 Winter Youth Olympics
 |
Junior | 5 56.25 |
6 98.98 |
6 155.23 |
| September 23 - 27 | 2015 JGP Poland
 |
Junior | 3 56.89 |
4 101.55 |
4 158.44 |
| August 26 - 30 | 2015 JGP Latvia
 |
Junior | 3 58.75 |
2 112.20 |
2 170.95 |
| August 2 - 5 | 2015 Asian Open Trophy
 |
Senior | 3 39.64 |
3 99.36 |
3 139.00 |
| 2014-2015 Season | |||||
| Date | Competition | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| March 2 - 8 | 2015 World Junior Championships
 |
Junior | 4 58.72 |
6 107.53 |
6 166.25 |
| September 11 - 14 | 2014 JGP Japan
|
Junior | 6 52.70 |
7 93.46 |
7 146.16 |
| 2013-2014 Season | |||||
| Date | Competition | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| March 14 - 16 | 2014 International Challenge Cup
|
Junior | 1 54.98 |
2 98.89 |
1 153.87 |
| October 2 - 5 | 2013 JGP Czech Republic
 |
Junior | 7 52.80 |
6 93.69 |
6 146.49 |
| August 8 - 11 | 2013 Asian Open Figure Trophy
|
Junior | 1 53.20 |
1 102.28 |
1 155.48 |
| 2012-2013 Season | |||||
| Date | Competition | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| March 27 - 32 | 2013 Triglav Trophy
 |
Novice | 2 37.64 |
2 77.51 |
2 115.15 |
Medal Record[]
(In chronological order)
| Type | Competition | Season | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 2023 Skate Canada | 2023-24 | Senior |
| Gold | 2023 Skate Canada Autumn Classic | 2023-24 | Senior |
| Gold | 2023 Japan Open | 2023-24 | Senior |
| Bronze | 2023 World Team Trophy | 2022-23 | Senior |
| Gold | 2023 World Championships | 2022-23 | Senior |
| Gold | 2023 International Challenge Cup | 2022-23 | Senior |
| Silver | 2023 Winter Universiade | 2022-23 | Senior |
| Gold | 2022-23 Japan Championships | 2022-23 | Senior |
| Silver | 2022 NHK Trophy | 2022-23 | Senior |
| Gold | 2022 Skate America | 2022-23 | Senior |
| Gold | 2022 Japan Open | 2022-23 | Senior |
| Silver | 2022 Lombardia Trophy | 2022-23 | Senior |
| Gold | 2022 World Championships | 2021-22 | Senior |
| Bronze | 2022 Winter Olympics (Individual) | 2021-22 | Senior |
| Bronze | 2022 Winter Olympics (Team) | 2021-22 | Senior |
| Gold | 2021-22 Japan Championships | 2021-22 | Senior |
| Gold | 2021 NHK Trophy | 2021-22 | Senior |
| Silver | 2021 Asian Open Trophy | 2021-22 | Senior |
| Silver | 2021 Japan Open | 2021-22 | Senior |
| Bronze | 2021 World Team Trophy | 2020-21 | Senior |
| Silver | 2020-21 Japan Championships | 2020-21 | Senior |
| Gold | 2020 NHK Trophy | 2020-21 | Senior |
| Silver | 2019 Ondrej Nepela Trophy | 2019-20 | Senior |
| Silver | 2019 World Team Trophy | 2019-20 | Senior |
| Gold | 2018-19 Japan Championships | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Bronze | 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Silver | 2018 Skate America | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Gold | 2018 Japan Open | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Silver | 2018 Coupe du Printemps | 2017-18 | Senior |
| Gold | 2018 Four Continents Championships | 2017-18 | Senior |
| Silver | 2017-18 Japan Championships | 2017-18 | Senior |
| Silver | 2017 Skate America | 2017-18 | Senior |
| Bronze | 2017 World Junior Championships | 2016-17 | Junior |
| Bronze | 2016-17 JGP Final | 2016-17 | Junior |
| Gold | 2016-17 Japan Championships | 2016-17 | Junior |
| Gold | 2016 Japan Western Sectionals | 2016-17 | Junior |
| Gold | 2016 JGP Japan | 2016-17 | Junior |
| Bronze | 2016 JGP France | 2016-17 | Junior |
| Silver | 2015 JGP Latvia | 2015-16 | Junior |
| Bronze | 2015 Asian Open Trophy | 2015-16 | Senior |
| Silver | 2014-15 Japan Championships | 2014-15 | Junior |
| Gold | 2014 Kinki Regionals | 2014-15 | Junior |
| Gold | 2014 International Challenge Cup | 2013-14 | Junior |
| Gold | 2013 Japan Western Sectionals | 2013-14 | Junior |
| Gold | 2013 Kinki Regionals | 2013-14 | Junior |
| Gold | 2013 Asian Open Trophy | 2013-14 | Junior |
| Silver | 2013 Triglav Trophy | 2012-13 | Novice |
| Gold | 2012-13 Japan Championships | 2012-13 | Novice |
| Gold | 2012 Kinki Regionals | 2012-13 | Novice |
| Gold | 2011 Kinki Regionals | 2011-12 | Novice |
Segment Medal Record[]
| Type | Competition | Season | Segment | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | 2023 World Championships | 2022-23 | Free | Senior |
| Gold | 2023 World Championships | 2022-23 | Short | Senior |
| Gold | 2022 World Championships | 2021-22 | Free | Senior |
| Gold | 2022 World Championships | 2021-22 | Short | Senior |
| Silver | 2019 World Championships | 2018-19 | Short | Senior |
| Silver | 2019 Four Continents Championships | 2018-19 | Short | Senior |
| Gold | 2018 Four Continents Championships | 2017-18 | Free | Senior |
| Silver | 2018 Four Continents Championships | 2017-18 | Short | Senior |
| Bronze | 2017 World Junior Championships | 2016-17 | Free | Junior |
| Bronze | 2017 World Junior Championships | 2016-17 | Short | Junior |
Social Media[]
Instagram: sysmex_figureskatingteam (jointly owned with Mai Mihara)
Sources[]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaori_Sakamoto
https://www.statsonice.com/skater/Kaori/Sakamoto/
http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00014151.htm