Canada's James and Radford 5th, Schizas 10th after short programs at figure skating worldsOlympic bronze medallist Kaori Sakamoto of Japan took a comfortable lead over Loena Hendrickx of Belgium and American figure skater Mariah Bell on Wednesday after the short program at the world championships.

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Olympic bronze medallist Sakamoto leads women's short program

The Associated Press(Francisco Seco/The Associated Press)comments

Canada's Vanessa James and Eric Radford were fifth in the pairs short program on Wednesday in what could be their one and only world figure skating championships together.

James, from Toronto, and Radford, from Balmertown, Ont., who came out of retirement last April to compete together, opened with a perfect triple twist that set the tone for a score of 66.54 points.

WATCH l James and Eric Radford are top Canadians in the pairs short program:

James and Radford are top Canadian pair at world figure skating championships

12 hours agoDuration 5:52Canadian pair Vanessa James and Eric Radford scored 66.54 points for 5th place the pair's short program at the ISU world figure skating championships in Montpellier, France.5:52

Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier are the leaders with 76.88, while American teammates Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy Leduc scored 75.85 for second.

Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan are third (71.58).

WATCH l Americans Knierim and Frazier lead pairs short program:

Americans Knierim and Frazier lead the pairs short program at figure skating worlds

12 hours agoDuration 6:08The American pair of Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier scored a personal best 76.88 points to lead the pair's short program at the ISU world figure skating championships in Montpellier, France.(Francisco Seco/The Associated Press)

Sakamoto's program, set to music from the film "Gladiator," featured a triple flip-triple toe loop and earned huge component marks for a score of 80.32 points. That was more than five points clear of Hendrickx, who was seventh at the Beijing Games last month, and nearly eight points ahead of Bell, who finished 11th at the Olympics.

Sakamoto broke up a Russian sweep of the podium in Beijing with her bronze medal. But none of her rivals — gold medallist Anna Shcherbakova, silver medallist Alexandra Trusova and fourth-place finisher Kamila Valieva — is allowed at worlds, with Russian athletes barred from international competition following the invasion of Ukraine.

WATCH | Sakamoto on top after short program:

Japan's Kaori Sakamoto leads after world figure skating championships short program

17 hours agoDuration 6:42Olympic bronze medalist Kaori Sakamoto scored a personal best 80.32 points to lead the women's short program at the ISU world figure skating championships in Montpellier, France.6:42

Valieva is among several Russian skaters performing in an exhibition in Saransk this weekend.

You Young of South Korea was fourth after her short program. U.S. skater Alysa Liu was in fifth place.

Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., was 10th with a score of 64.20.

The 19-year-old opened with a triple lutz-triple toe-loop combination, then landed a triple loop and double axel.

"I'm happy with my skate after and up and down kind of week,"' said Schizas. "`It was a strong performance, and I showed a lot of resilience."

WATCH | Canada's Schizas sits 10th:

Canada's Madeline Schizas in 10th after world figure skating championships short program

19 hours agoDuration 6:13Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., sits in tenth place following the women's short program at the ISU world figure skating championships in Montpellier, France.6:13

Schizas was 19th in her Olympic debut in Beijing, and helped Canada to a fourth-place finish in the team event — and potentially a bronze medal pending an investigation of the Russian gold medallists after a positive doping test by 15-year-old Kamila Valieva.

Competition continues Thursday with the men's short program and the pairs free skate.

WATCH l That Figure Skating Show: Sakamoto leads at figure skating worlds after 1st day:

Kaori Sakamoto leads at figure skating world championships after opening day

11 hours agoDuration 6:59The Olympic bronze medallist was the favourite in the women's event and she's cemented herself in gold medal position after the short. Canadian Madeline Schizas sits 10th.More figure skating coverage

(editor：)