{"id":3308,"date":"2026-02-17T02:14:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vsaworld.com\/blog\/?p=3308"},"modified":"2026-02-17T02:14:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:14:02","slug":"liu-vs-sakamoto-olympic-showdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vsaworld.com\/blog\/liu-vs-sakamoto-olympic-showdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Liu vs Sakamoto: Olympic Showdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kaori Sakamoto \u00a9 Pinterest<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spotlight turns to the Milano Ice Skating Arena this Tuesday as the Women\u2019s Singles Short Program officially begins at 18:45 local time. While the narrative centers on two of the sport\u2019s most iconic figures\u2014reigning World Champion Alysa Liu<\/strong> and Japan\u2019s legendary Kaori Sakamoto<\/strong>\u2014the field is arguably the deepest in Olympic history. With technical powerhouses and veteran stars all within striking distance, the race for the podium is wide open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Return of the Queen and the Farewell of a Legend<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alysa Liu (USA)<\/strong> arrives in Milan as the “miracle” story of the season. After retiring at just 16 following the Beijing Games, she returned to the ice last year with a newfound joy that propelled her to the 2025 World title. Now 20, Liu has already helped lead Team USA to a gold medal in the Team Event earlier this week. She enters the individual event looking to complete one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across the ice stands Kaori Sakamoto (JPN)<\/strong>, the three-time World Champion competing in her third and final Olympic Games. Sakamoto has dominated the four-year cycle with her trademark power and speed. Having already secured an Olympic bronze in 2022 and a Team silver earlier this week, she has made it clear that her “mission completion” involves standing on the top step of the podium before she transitions into coaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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