Sakamoto wins gold in Montreal to become 1st woman to 3-peat as world champion since 1968
CBC
Kaori Sakamoto of Japan is the first women's figure skater to three-peat as world champion since American Peggy Fleming from 1966 to 1968.
Sakamoto captured gold again Friday at the Bell Centre Montreal, climbing from fourth place after the short program to the top of the podium with a near-flawless performance.
The 23-year-old led the pack by more than 10 points in the free program to finish with 222.96 points and earn a standing ovation from the 6,000 fans on hand.
Isabeau Levito of the United States — a 2022 world junior champion — claimed silver (212.16) for her first medal at a senior worlds. Chaeyeon Kim of South Korea took bronze (203.59).
WATCH l Sakamoto captures 3rd straight title:
Belgium's Loena Hendrickx placed first in the short program Wednesday, but slipped to fourth after missing her rotation on a double lutz, triple-toe loop combination and subsequently falling on a triple flip.
Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., was 18th (171.78). Schizas needed a top-10 finish to earn Canada a second women's spot at next year's worlds.
Earlier Friday, defending ice dance champions and 2022 Olympic gold medallists Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States finished first with a season-best 90.08 in the rhythm dance. Italy's Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri were second (87.52) ahead of Toronto's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont.
WATCH l Gilles, Poirier earn 86.51 points in rhythm dance:
Gilles and Poirier won their second world championship bronze last year.
Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Saint-Hubert, Que., posted a season-best 83.20 while skating to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" to rank fifth.
Competition ends Saturday with the free dance and the men's free program.
Watch live coverage of the World Figure Skating Championships on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.
WATCH l Gilles, Poirier base their free dance on 'Wuthering Heights':
Canadian Paralympic Committee CEO Karen O'Neill acknowledges the team’s showing at the Milano-Cortina Winter Games wasn't the same as past years.
Canadian Para alpine skier Kalle Eriksson and guide Sierra Smith capped their memorable Paralympic debut with bronze in the men's visually impaired slalom on Sunday at the Milano-Cortina Games.
Canadian skip Kerri Einarson looked up Saturday and saw real people, instead of cardboard cut-outs, in the stands at Calgary's WinSport Event Centre. She heard the roar of the crowd instead of the sound of flushing toilets piercing the silence.
Aaron Judge doubled and Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brice Turang each had two hits as the United States beat Canada 5-3 on Friday night in Houston to reach the World Baseball Classic semifinals.
Canada's Natalie Wilkie captured her second biathlon gold of the Milano-Cortina Paralympics on Friday, winning the women's standing sprint pursuit for her fourth medal in as many events.
Canada made wheelchair curling history on Thursday as the first team at any Paralympics to complete round-robin play without a loss.
The winningest men's ski cross racer in history added to his total on Thursday.
Canada's Mark Arendz collected his 14th career Paralympic medal while teammate Brittany Hudak earned her fourth in Wednesday's standing cross-country skiing races at Milano Cortina.
Alphonso Davies covered his face with his shirt as he left the field with an injury in Bayern Munich's game against Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday in Bergamo, Italy, raising questions about the Canadian star's availability for the World Cup.
Canadian Para nordic skiing star Natalie Wilkie has now won a medal of every colour at the Milano-Cortina Paralympics, adding bronze in the women's standing sprint classic on Tuesday in Val di Fiemme.
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Canadian Para alpine skier Kalle Eriksson and guide Sierra Smith continued their impressive Paralympic debut on Monday by racing to bronze in the men's visually impaired super-G for their second medal.