On Friday, Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto made history in Montreal by clinching her third consecutive figure skating world title, a feat not seen since Peggy Fleming’s achievement in 1968. Despite starting in fourth place after the short programme, Sakamoto’s captivating free skate, set to music by Lauryn Hill, escalated her to victory with an impressive score of 222.96 points.
American skater Isabeau Levito secured the silver medal, while South Korea’s Chaeyeon Kim claimed bronze. Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx, initially leading, finished fourth after a fall during her routine.
In the ice dance competition, Madison Chock and Evan Bates from the United States performed an enthralling rhythm dance number that put them one step closer to winning a second straight global title. Their performance, which scored 90.08, impressed the audience with its smooth and charismatic performance. Following closely behind were Italy’s Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri in second place, with Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier in third.
Chock and Bates, who relocated to Montreal after the 2018 Olympics, expressed their joy at participating in their 11th world championship and emphasised their love for the sport. Their previous victories include winning the world championship in Japan in 2023 and claiming their first Grand Prix Final title in December.
