Kaori Sakamoto's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Kaori Sakamoto.

Kaori Sakamoto is a highly accomplished Japanese figure skater. She secured the bronze medal at the 2022 Olympics and two silver medals in the Olympic team event. Sakamoto has also achieved remarkable success at the World Championships, earning three gold medals (2022-2024) and a silver medal (2025). Her other notable achievements include winning the 2018 Four Continents Championships, the 2023-24 Grand Prix Final, and multiple Grand Prix medals. Domestically, she has been a dominant force, claiming the Japanese national title six times. Early in her career, she won a bronze medal at the 2017 World Junior Championships and at the 2016-17 Junior Grand Prix Final.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

2020: Grand Prix Gold at 2020 NHK Trophy

In 2020, Sakamoto won the Kinki Regional Championship and Western Sectionals. She also won the gold medal at the 2020 NHK Trophy, marking her first Grand Prix gold medal.

2021: 2021-22 Japan Championships Victory

In 2021, Sakamoto won the 2021–22 Japan Championships, earning her second gold medal and securing a spot on her second Japanese Olympic team.

2022: 2022 Winter Olympics: Team Bronze and Individual Bronze

At the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sakamoto contributed to Japan's team bronze medal in the team event. In the women's singles event, she skated cleanly and won the bronze medal, becoming the fourth Japanese woman to medal in the Olympics and the first in twelve years.

2022: 2022 World Championships Gold Medal

At the 2022 World Championships, Sakamoto won the gold medal, setting new personal bests in the short program, free skate, and total score. She became Japan's first women's singles skater to win the World Championships since 2014.

2022: 2022-23 Japan Championships Title

At the 2022–23 Japan Championships, Sakamoto won the national title for the second consecutive year, earning a spot on Japan's 2023 World Championship team.

2022: 2022 Olympic Figure Skating Team Event

In 2022, Sakamoto and her teammates won the silver medal at the Olympic Figure Skating Team Event.

2022: Celebration of 2022 Olympic Team Event

In 2024, during the NHK Trophy exhibition gala, all members of the 2022 Olympic Team Event, including Sakamoto, were invited to center stage, wearing their Olympic costumes and Olympic medals, in celebration of their achievement.

August 2023: Awarded Kobe City Sports Special Award

In August 2023, Sakamoto was awarded the Kobe City Sports Special Award for becoming a two-time World Figure Skating Champion.

2023: 2023 World Championships Gold Medal

At the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Sakamoto won her second World gold medal, becoming the fourth woman to win consecutive World Championships since the abolition of compulsory figures in 1991.

2023: 2023 Grand Prix Final Title and Japan Championships Victory

In 2023, Sakamoto captured her first Grand Prix Final title in Beijing, completing the "Career Grand Slam" of major event gold medals. She also won the 2023–24 Japan Championships, securing her fourth straight national title.

2023: 2023 Grand Prix Series Victories

In 2023, Sakamoto won the Skate Canada International and the Grand Prix of Espoo, marking her first appearance at Skate Canada International.

2024: 2024 World Championships Gold Medal

At the 2024 World Championships in Montreal, Sakamoto won the gold medal, marking the first time in 56 years that a women's singles skater won three consecutive World titles.

2024: 2022 Olympic Team Event Silver Medal Ceremony

During the 2024 Paris Olympics, a medal ceremony was held for Sakamoto and her teammates from the 2022 Olympic Figure Skating Team Event, where they were awarded their Olympic silver medals.

2024: Sakamoto wins fifth national title at 2024-25 Japan Championships

In 2024, Kaori Sakamoto competed at the 2024–25 Japan Championships, winning her fifth national title. She was subsequently named to the World team.

2024: Sakamoto wins 2024 NHK Trophy

In 2024, Kaori Sakamoto won the NHK Trophy, finishing almost twenty points ahead of Mone Chiba. All members of the 2022 Olympic Team Event were invited to center stage, wearing their Olympic costumes and medals, in celebration of their achievement.

2025: Team Japan Secures Silver at 2025 World Team Trophy

In 2025, Sakamoto competed for Team Japan at the 2025 World Team Trophy, placing second in the short program and third in the free skate, which helped secure the silver medal for Team Japan.

2025: Sakamoto wins fourth gold medal at 2025 NHK Trophy

In 2025, Sakamoto won her fourth gold medal at the NHK Trophy and qualified for the 2025-26 Grand Prix Final.

2025: Sakamoto wins silver at 2025 World Championships

In 2025, Sakamoto won the silver medal at the World Championships in Boston, behind Alysa Liu of the United States, following the 2025 Asian Winter Games where she won the silver medal.

2025: Sakamoto wins sixth national title at 2025-26 Japan Championships

In 2025, at the 2025–26 Japan Championships, Sakamoto won her sixth national title and was subsequently named to the Winter Olympic team for a third consecutive time.

February 2026: Sakamoto finishes first in team event at 2026 Winter Olympics

On February 6, 2026, Sakamoto finished in first place in the women's short program of the team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, setting a new personal best score for the season.

2026: Sakamoto wins silver medal in team event at 2026 Winter Olympics

In February 2026, Sakamoto placed first in the short program with a new season's best score and won the free skate segment, helping Team Japan secure the Olympic silver medal for a second consecutive time.