“I share the same goal, so I hope to always support Ryuichi by his side,” says Riku Miura on her partner’s goal to “become coaches for the next generation and make Japan a pair skating powerhouse.”

Olympic gold medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara reflected on their dramatic victory at the Milano-Cortina Games, emphasizing their partnership, mutual support, and their dream to help Japan become a pair skating powerhouse.

original source: Nikkansports 26th February 2026

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Riku Miura (24) and Ryuichi Kihara (33), who won Japan’s first-ever gold medal in pairs figure skating at the Milano-Cortina Olympics, appeared live on TV Asahi’s “Hodo Station” on the February 25th. They looked back on their dramatic finish, marking the world’s highest score in the free skate after placing fifth in the short program. Here’s a translation of their comments posted on Nikkansports.

Miura, raising her fist high, and Kihara, completing the final lift, created a scene so moving that even the TV cameraman filmed it through tears. Reviewing the historic moment, Miura said, “We made no major mistakes. Because of what happened the day before, the pressure was really intense, but we were able to give everything we had, so that fist pump was filled with emotion.”

In the short program, Kihara was devastated, even shedding tears.

Still, Kihara explained, “After the official practice in the evening, we had various exchanges, and after resetting my mindset, I was able to face the competition without showing weakness, fully believing in the training we had done.”

Miura, who famously said, “I’m the big sister,” saving Kihara, also reflected on her growth.

“These past seven years, there’s always been support—encouragement at every competition, genuine support from the heart, and that’s why I was able to take on that role this time.”

There were times when injuries or poor health prevented them from training, but Kihara recalled, “Whenever one of us returned, we were always prepared to get moving right away. We watched each other’s efforts up close.”

Usually, Miura doesn’t respond to Kihara’s encouragement before competitions due to nerves, but she expressed gratitude: “He’s not shy and always honestly shares what he feels from the bottom of his heart.”

Both spoke of their dream to lead Japan to become a pair skating powerhouse. Kihara pledged, “This time, many people learned about pairs. I don’t want our generation to be the last for pairs in Japan. If there’s anything we can do to help Japan become a pair skating powerhouse, we’ll do it. There haven’t been many pair coaches in Japan, so we want to work hard to become coaches for the next generation.”

Miura agreed, “I share the same goal, so I hope to always support him by his side.”