Japanese figure skater Kaori Sakamoto held a press conference in her hometown of Kobe on Monday, where she officially announced her retirement from competitive skating at the end of the current season. During the conference, she also expressed profound respect for the retiring ice dance pair Rikuryu — Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara — who are stepping away from competition simultaneously. “You have truly worked so hard. I want to say, thank you for everything,” Sakamoto said, her voice filled with admiration. The 26-year-old, a two-time Olympic medalist (silver in team event and bronze in women’s singles), is set to transition into coaching after retiring. When asked about the emotional moment during her joint press conference with Rikuryu, Sakamoto admitted she couldn’t help but laugh when Kihara began to cry. “I just had to smile. He was so emotional, it was endearing,” she said with a chuckle. Sakamoto’s decision to retire has been met with an outpouring of support from fans and fellow skaters. She emphasized that she has no regrets and looks forward to guiding the next generation of skaters.
