Nakai Ami emerged with the women’s short program lead over her fellow Japanese figure skaters as the curtains went up on the ISU Four Continents Championships 2026 in Beijing on Thursday (22 January).
Despite being docked points for what appeared to be a clean landing on her trademark triple Axel, the 17-year-old Nakai’s 73.83 put her ahead of her compatriots Aoki Yuna (71.41) and Chiba Mone (68.07), who fell on a triple lutz.
Nakai and Chiba have been named to Japan’s squad for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The Four Continents is their final tune-up before the Games.
Gabrielle Daleman of Canada was fourth on 67.69 followed by USA’s Sarah Everhardt (67.51) and the Republic of Korea’s Olympic-bound Lee Haein (67.06), who filled out the last group for the free skating on Friday.
As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes’ participation at the Milano Cortina Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Milano Cortina 2026.