PRAGUE — Kaori Sakamoto’s music, “Time to Say Goodbye”, was charged with emotion as she led the short program in her chase for a fourth world figure skating title before retirement.

Sakamoto shouted with joy and clapped as she learned her score of 79.31, a season-best which put her into first place by less than a point from her fellow Japanese skater Mone Chiba on a personal-best 78.45.

There’s a strong U.S. challenge for the medals with Amber Glenn third and Isabeau Levito fourth.

Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu withdrew from the world championships amid a hectic media schedule.

Elswhere in sports:

– Jerrod Calhoun was introduced as Cincinnati’s men’s basketball coach Wednesday. The former Utah State coach agreed to a six-year contract and will earn $3.7 million in the first year followed by annual raises of $100,000. He replaces Wes Miller, who went 100-74 in five seasons before he was fired.

– Alan Huss knew he would be Creighton’s head basketball coach eventually. He just didn’t know when until Greg McDermott told him recently that he planned to retire after the Bluejays’ final game. Huss played for the Bluejays from 1997-2001 and was an assistant under McDermott for six years. He returned to Omaha last April after two highly successful seasons at High Point.

– Butler hired Ronald Nored as its next men’s basketball head coach following the retirement of Thad Matta. Nored returns to the school where he started as point guard and helped the team reach two straight national title games in 2010 and 2011.