Japan's Kagiyama, Sakamoto win singles titles at ISU NHK Trophy

OSAKA, Japan, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Japan swept the singles titles at the ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy on Saturday, with Yuma Kagiyama winning the men's event and Kaori Sakamoto topping the women's field. China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong took the pairs bronze, while Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson claimed the ice dance gold.

Kagiyama secured the men's crown with a total of 287.24 points despite finishing second in the free skate, protecting the advantage he had built in Friday's short program. Compatriot Shun Sato was 1.53 points behind for silver on 285.71, and Switzerland's Lukas Britschgi earned bronze with 246.94. China's Jin Boyang placed fourth on 239.05.

In the women's event, three-time world champion Sakamoto led wire-to-wire, winning the short program with 77.05 points and delivering the day's best free skate of 150.13 to finish on 227.18. Sakamoto, who announced in June her plan to retire after the 2025-26 season, continued her strong form with a season-leading total at this event. Kazakhstan's Sofia Samodelkina took silver and Belgium's Loena Hendrickx claimed bronze.

Italy's Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii won the pairs title with 208.58 after posting the highest free skate of 134.89. Hungary's Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko finished second on 207.28. China's Sui and Han, leaders after the short program, ranked fourth in the free skate and took bronze with 203.79.

The ice dance saw Fear and Gibson top both segments to win with 205.88, ahead of Italy's Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri with 198.67. The United States' Caroline Green and Michael Parsons completed the podium.

The NHK Trophy is the fourth stop of the 2025-26 ISU Grand Prix series. Skaters earn points toward qualification for the Grand Prix Final from December 4 to 7 in Nagoya, Japan. The Grand Prix continues next week in the United States. ■