Figure Skating

Mihara's fourth-place finish at last month's nationals ended her hopes of competing at her first Winter Games, but she held her nerve in Tallinn to reclaim a title she won five years ago.

Mihara is looking to put a disappointing fourth-place finish at the Japanese nationals behind her and reclaim a title she won five years ago.

The 15-year-old led a Russian sweep of the women's podium, with her 259.06 points enough to defeat world champion Anna Shcherbakova (237.42 points) and Alexandra Trusova (234.36).

No American man has enjoyed such a dominant run at the national championships since two-time Olympic champion Dick Button won seven consecutive titles from 1946 to 1952.

The Jan. 6 to 13 championships in Ottawa, where Canada's figure skating squad for Beijing will be selected, will be held without spectators.

The 27-year-old returned to the ice after an eight-month absence from competition and won his second straight national title.

Hanyu slightly under-rotated his coveted quadruple axel but was otherwise flawless in Sunday's free skate.

"I couldn't be happier, I'm absolutely thrilled," said Sakamoto, who was still in high school when she finished sixth in her Olympic debut in Pyeongchang. "A weight has been lifted off me."

The two-time reigning Olympic gold medalist threw down a marker for the Beijing Winter Games with an outstanding performance in the short program.