The Olympic bronze medalist's victory gave Japan its first world title by a woman since Mao Asada won the last of her three titles in 2014.
The Olympic bronze medalist earned level fours on all of her spins and step sequence.
Daisuke Takahashi and Mao Asada were the first two skaters to sweep both singles titles for Japan, doing so at the 2010 world championships.
Valieva wilted under the Olympic heat in titanic fashion, thereby allowing the 17-year-old Shcherbakova to win the gold.
Valieva, the world junior champion in 2020, earned level fours for her spins and step sequence. She wept as she finished her program and again when...
Should Valieva be disqualified, Russian world champion Anna Shcherbakova would become the favorite for the gold medal.
“The Olympics are not a recital,” Hanyu said. “It's a place you must win. For that reason, I'll be strongly determined.”
Sakamoto landed six clean triple jumps in her skate to “No More Fight Left in Me” and earned level fours on her spins and step sequence.
The 2018 Olympian skated to “Now We Are Free” and showed her veteran poise as she calmly and smoothly moved through her program.
The top-tier skaters are well known, but exciting quests are right behind as young athletes aim to earn their own spots on the national team.
Uno delivers a bold reminder that he remains one of the world’s premier skating stars.
Both champions won by wide margins over the second-place finishers.
