Sawt Falasteen - Japanese star Sakamoto 'frustrated' at missing Olympic skating gold

"I was aiming for the gold medal. The frustration of not being able to win it is really hitting me right now," said Sakamoto, 25, who took silver behind American Alysa Liu.

"I thought I might be able to finish with a smile, but instead I'm ending it with this sense of frustration. Still, I think feeling this way will be important for the rest of my life."

Sakamoto had been looking for a fairytale Olympic swansong and had been well-positioned just 1.48 points behind 17-year-old teammate Ami Nakai after Tuesday's short programme, with Liu in third position.

But skating to a version of "Non, je ne regrette rien" Sakamoto lost points for not doing her planned triple combination jump.

It cost her dearly as she finished just 1.89 points behind Liu, who surged to gold with her Donna Summer's disco version of "MacArthur Park".

"The points I lost on those mistakes were exactly the margin that cost me the gold medal. That’s the most frustrating part -- I know I left something out there," Sakamoto said.

Competing in her third Olympics after finishing sixth in 2018 Pyeongchang and third in 2022 Beijing, she finishes her career with four Olympic medals -- three of them silver including two in the team event.

- 'Nuture future gold medallist' -

Sakamoto said her coach had told her that she could "nurture a future gold medallist. So maybe you’ll see me as a coach at the Olympics."

Nakai grabbed bronze as 20-year-old Japanese teammate Mone Chiba finished fourth, both competing in their first Olympics.

"Ami and Mone, who shared this experience with me, both skated with such strength that you wouldn't think it was their first Olympic Games," said Sakamoto, who had dominated the sport since 2022.

She won three world titles before Liu took gold ahead of her at last year's world championships.

"Next season even stronger skaters will emerge, but I believe Japan will continue to be strong," said Sakamoto.

"At the next Olympic Games, I’m sure there will again be many Japanese skaters standing on the podium."

Nakai belied her years as the youngest competitor in Milan.

"I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be," she said after including a difficult triple Axel jump in her "What a Wonderful World" programme.

"Watching everyone else fight so hard made me think, 'I’ll give it everything too'," said Nakai.

"Just skating on this dream stage was already incredible, but to win a medal feels like a dream come true."

She paid tribute to Sakamoto who is affectionately called "big sister" by her teammates.

"I’ve seen how hard Kaori has worked, so seeing her today honestly made me emotional too," said the teenager.

"She’s achieved so much and won so many medals - she’s truly an amazing skater.

"Sharing the podium with her at the Olympic Games is something I’ll always treasure."

She added: "I didn't expect to be at the Olympics and now I am wearing a bronze medal at my first Games. I think I can participate in two more Olympics, just like Kaori has done."

Chiba rued finishing fourth, 1.28 behind Nakai.

"The result was not what I had hoped for. I feel half frustrated and half satisfied that I gave it everything. It’s a very complicated feeling.”

D.Qudsi--SF-PST