“The fracture line has become much thinner. But honestly, it’s scary that this line is still there…” Rika Kihira about her injury
Rika Kihira about her injury and plans for the future.
source: tokyo-sports.co.jp
Figure skating women’s 2018 Grand Prix (GP) Final champion, Rika Kihira (20), is burning with an exceptional fighting spirit as she aims for a “complete comeback.”
In the 2021-2022 season, she missed all competitions due to injuries, including a right ankle injury. Her long-standing goal of qualifying for the Beijing Olympics ended up as a disappointment. In the 2022-2023 season, she participated in the Grand Prix series and the Japanese Nationals, but her injury was not fully healed, leading to unsatisfactory results.
Amidst all this, on the June 29th, she updated her Instagram and shared an X-ray image of her right ankle. She wrote, “It still looks intense in the photo… The fracture line has become much thinner. But honestly, it’s scary that this line is still there…” She further revealed, “Actually, it worsened again at last year’s Nationals…”
On the 28th, the International Skating Union (ISU) announced the participating skaters for the 2023-2024 GP Series. Kihira entered the second event, Skate Canada (October 27-29). With determination, she stated, “Since the stress fracture, I haven’t been pain-free and haven’t competed. I really want to fully recover!!! Can I make it in time?!!” This season marks a new step towards her goal of winning a gold medal at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics.
Related topics: Rika Kihira
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