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Japan's Sakamoto skates to gold at world championships
CGTN

Japan's Kaori Sakamoto on Friday added the world figure skating title to her Olympic bronze medal. 

At the figure skating world championships in Montpellier, France, the 21-year-old totaled 236.09 points to win gold, with Belgium's Loena Hendrickx (217.70) taking silver and Alysa Liu of the United States claiming bronze (211.9). 

 Sakamoto is the first Japanese world champion since Mao Asada in 2014. 

(L-R) Loena Hendrickx of Belgium, Kaori Sakamoto of Japan and Alysa Liu of the United States pose after the medal ceremony at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France, March 25, 2022. /CFP

(L-R) Loena Hendrickx of Belgium, Kaori Sakamoto of Japan and Alysa Liu of the United States pose after the medal ceremony at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France, March 25, 2022. /CFP

The bronze medalist in Beijing Winter Olympics improved her personal bests in both the short and free programs. 

"It was really difficult in training before the worlds. I was tired and on the verge of exhaustion after the Olympics, but most of us were in the same situation," said Sakamoto. 

"The hard training I had in the past helped me to hold on during this competition." 

Hendrickx, meanwhile, became the first Belgian skater to make a world podium. 

Belgium has only won three world medals in figure skating – the previous two coming in pairs skating in 1947 and 1948. 

At just 16, Liu is also a first-time world medalist, a month after a seventh place at the Beijing Winter Olympics. 

Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier of the United States compete in the pairs event at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France, March 24, 2022. /CFP

Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier of the United States compete in the pairs event at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France, March 24, 2022. /CFP

Earlier, Americans Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier performed a flawless free program to win the pairs title. 

In the men's event, Shoma Uno led a Japanese trio after the short program, improving his personal best to score 109.63 and beat Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama by almost four points. Kazuki Tomono was third. 

Beijing Olympic champion Nathan Chen of the United States and twice Olympic gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan skipped the event due to injury. 

(With input from agencies)

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