In a moment of heartbreak for one Japanese figure skating star, American rival Amber Glenn went out of her way to protect her opponent.

Thursday's women's singles free skate marked the final time Japan's Kaori Sakamoto will compete at the Olympics as she plans to retire.

Sakamoto had been in prime position to win her first ever gold medal, but made some critical errors that led to her winning silver instead.

As she came off the ice, Sakamoto was in tears and was comforted by American Alysa Liu - who would go on to win the gold.

But after the skate, Sakamoto took a moment aside to let her emotions out. It's at this point that Glenn stepped in to comfort her, only to realize a cameraman had been recording them.

Glenn then stood up and waved her hands in front of the lens to block the camera from view before saying something to the camera man.

In the aftermath, it appears Glenn commented about the situation underneath a TikTok video of the scene.

'Dude I know it's their job but they will get all up in your business when you clearly need space it's wild,' the skater is alleged to have said.

Sakamoto, 25, went into the free skate having put up the second-best score in the short program two days prior.

But technical mistakes on a pair of jumps led to her finishing 1.91 points behind Liu for the silver medal.

'I only felt regret,' Sakamoto said (via Olympics.com). 'I can't really say. I don't remember what happened in between elements. I have to look back on it and see.

'I wasn't that nervous. But … I guess this is how my story ends. It hurts, I have to admit.

'I've come this far and I couldn't get it done. The frustration is unbearable. I felt like the bronze medal last time was a miracle, and I'm wearing a better medal around my neck yet I'm frustrated — which probably says a lot about all the work I put in the last four years.

'And for that, I just want to give myself a pat on the back.'

Glenn experienced her own heartbreak in the short program. She had been the favourite among the American 'Blade Angels' to win a medal.

However, a fall in her short program led to a lower-than-expected score as well as tears.

But she rebounded in a major way in the free skate - putting up the third-best score of the evening and finishing fifth overall.

'I just thought, "I'm going to do what I do best, which is enjoy skating",' Glenn said, 'and that's what I did today.'