Japan's Kaori Sakamoto scored 79.31 points in the short programme at the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships in Prague

Prague (AFP) - In her farewell tournament Japanese figure skater Kaori Sakamoto took a narrow lead over compatriot Mone Chiba during the short programme at the world championships on Wednesday.

In the absence of reigning Olympic champion Alysa Liu, the silver medallist at Milan, Sakamoto, scored 79.31 points.

Chiba was a whisker behind on 78.45, while the American Amber Glenn was third on 72.65.

The free programme is scheduled for Friday, where the 25-year-old Sakamoto hopes to bid farewell on a winning note on what she says will be her final professional outing.

“I had high expectations for the Olympics, and many people around me expected a lot from me as well. Not being able to meet those expectations was therefore very, very sad for myself,” Sakamoto said.

“But a week before I arrived here, I started delivering clean, error-free programmes every day in training. So I think today’s performance reflects what I am capable of.”

On Wednesday, her performance to the aptly named “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli earned her her best score of the season, while Chiba also posted a season’s best, skating to the disco sounds of Donna Summer.

By contrast, the third Japanese skater in contention, Ami Nakai, bronze medallist in Milan, missed her opening triple Axel and dropped to eighth place.

With 69.10 points, however, she remains in the race for a podium finish.

Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin, bronze medallists at the Milan-Cortina Olympics last month, took the lead in the pairs thanks to a fiery tango.

The German pair notched 79.78 points and hold a slim lead over the Georgians Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava who scored 79.45 points with a flamenco version of Ravel’s ‘Bolero’.

The two pairs, bronze and silver medallists respectively in Milan, are the clear favourites in the absence of the Olympic champions, Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who skipped the event.

Canadians Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud are in the bronze medal position with 75.52 points ahead of Thursday’s free skate.