Kaori Sakamoto won her third straight figure skating world championship Friday in Montreal, becoming the first woman to achieve a singles "three-peat" since 1968.
The 2022 Olympic bronze medalist rallied from fourth place in the short program to finish on top at Montreal's Bell Centre with a total of 222.96.
Isabeau Levito of the United States was 10.8 points behind Sakamoto in second place, with South Korea's Kim Chae Yeon scoring 203.59 for third.
Japan's Mone Chiba and Hana Yoshida finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
After starting the free skate 3.69 points behind the short program winner, Belgium's Loena Hendrickx, Sakamoto vaulted to the top of the standings with the highest segment score of 149.67.
The 23-year-old put together a near-flawless routine featuring multiple triple jumps, including a triple flip-triple toe loop combination, to earn a standing ovation from the roughly 6,000 fans inside the arena.
"I was a little nervous after placing fourth in the short program, but the feeling of tension was positive and I was able to concentrate one step at a time," Sakamoto said. "I'm happy with the result and will keep doing my best."
Sakamoto won every international competition she contested this season, including a maiden Grand Prix Final victory in December. She also claimed her third straight Japanese national championship that month.
U.S. skater Peggy Fleming was the last woman to achieve the world championship three-peat, winning the first of her three singles titles in 1966.
The sport's governing body has maintained its ban on athletes from women's figure skating superpower Russia over the country's invasion of Ukraine.
Shoma Uno will continue his bid for a third straight men's world title on Saturday. He is in first place heading into the free skate, with countryman Yuma Kagiyama second.
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Figure skating: 2-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto 4th in short program
