In the winter of 2021-2, while figure skaters were competing in North America and Europe and preparing for the Beijing Winter Olympics, the tensions around Ukraine were building. NATO trained Ukrainian troops were intensifying attacks on the border of the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk provinces of eastern Ukraine. Russia was building up its forces on
Japan's Kaori Sakamoto won her second straight figure skating Grand Prix series event Saturday, finishing ahead of compatriot Rion Sumiyoshi at the Grand Prix Espoo in Finland.
Two-time defending women's world champion Kaori Sakamoto leads a Japanese wave in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating short programs despite dealing with a foot injury.