MONTREAL – Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto and Shoma Uno will each seek their third consecutive world crowns at the World Figure Skating Championships, which begin on March 20 in Montreal.
Not since American Peggy Fleming won world titles from 1966 to 1968 has anyone captured three women’s world titles in a row, but Sakamoto could achieve the feat and complete an undefeated 2023-2024 campaign.
Uno could become the first man to win three world titles in a row since American Nathan Chen completed his run in 2021, but he must fight off the challenge of Grand Prix Final winner Ilia Malinin of the United States.
The championships feature 200 top skaters from more than 40 nations, including reigning pairs champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan.
Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates will also defend their world ice dance crown on the home rink of the National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadiens.
Sakamoto captured her first singles world title in 2022 at Montpellier, France, and retained the crown in 2023 on home ice at Saitama.
This season, the 23-year-old from Kobe won Grand Prix stops in Canada and Finland and also took the Grand Prix Final in Beijing before claiming her fourth Japanese national title.
She continued her perfect season by successfully defending her title at the Challenge Cup in the Netherlands in February, making her the huge favourite to retain the world crown as well.
“I can really feel that I’ve grown more this year than last year,” Sakamoto told the Olympic website. “I’m much more motivated.”
European champion Loena Hendrickx of Belgium and South Korean teen Kim Chae-yeon could be Sakamoto’s top challengers for the historic triumph.
On the men’s side, Uno has been unable to match the domination of his unbeaten 2022-23 campaign, settling for runner-up Grand Prix finishes in China and Japan and a Grand Prix Final loss to 19-year-old, two-time US champion Malinin, the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition.
“Even if it becomes only Malinin being at the top in the future, I want to make sure that we can be rivals who can compete with each other properly,” Uno said.
“I’m going to do my best this year, at least.”
Two-time European champion Adam Siao of France and Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, who won the Four Continents crown in February, also figure to contend.
Kagiyama, a two-time world runner-up, took silver at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics behind Chen. AFP
