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Nagano Higashi Repeats at Girls’ National Ekiden as Sakamoto, Kagiyama Secure Olympic Spots at All‑Japan Figure

The results locked in headline Olympic places, with some roster spots still pending under selection rules.

Overview

  • Nagano Higashi won the girls’ nationwide high‑school ekiden in Kyoto in 1:06:30, leading from the opening leg and never trailing.
  • Third‑leg runner Airi Mashiba set a section record to extend the lead after first‑leg runner Kawakami opened in front, and anchor Rena Imai closed; Osaka Kunei was second and Ritsumeikan Uji third.
  • Yuma Kagiyama captured the men’s title at All‑Japan Figure with 287.95 points for a second straight win, confirming his Milan–Cortina berth.
  • Kaori Sakamoto posted 234.36 points for a fifth consecutive national crown and was named to her third Olympics in what she has said is her final season.
  • Utana Yoshida and Masaya Morita won ice dance with 172.29 to clinch a return to the Olympics as team-event members, while additional women’s singles spots will be decided under federation criteria after results such as the Grand Prix Final; Mone Chiba placed third (216.24) and Ami Nakai fourth.