Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara: “We have been experiencing frustrating competitions this season, so we are eager to perform our best at Worlds and secure three spots there.”
Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara about winning Japanese Nationals.
original source: sportiva.shueisha.co.jp dd 23d December by Yoshiyuki Komiya / Nikkansports / Nikkansports dd. 23d December 2024 by Daisuke Fujizuka
Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara about winning Japanese Nationals for the first time since 2019 and plans for the second half of the season. Here’s a translation of their comments posted on Nikkansports and Web Sportiva.
“(For pairs) Five years ago, there was only one team at the awards ceremony and for photos, so it was quite moving. This time three teams stood together,” Ryuichi shared having warmly congratulated the silver and bronze medalists.
“Five years have gone by in a flash. (Due to the pandemic) we couldn’t return to Japan, we participated in the Olympics, but there were also injuries… All these experiences have helped us grow. We were able to skate at Nationals with a sense of gratitude,” he added.
“Do you have confidence that you can perform better than at the GP Final?” The question from the press was directed at Miura, but Kihara quickly interjected with his response. “I definitely think we can.”
A slight laugh emerged but Kihara continued seriously. “I wouldn’t say it if we couldn’t do it. We’ve been practicing well and had confidence, but it’s frustrating when we can’t showe that in competitions. We are capable, so I really want to show it more. (For the mistakes) we need to work through them in practice to overcome and win.”
“I felt that there was more tension in the Final. In the short program at Nationals, we were able to concentrate, our bodies were sharp, and we could approach it with composure… which made the mistakes all the more disappointing. It’s frustrating that we couldn’t perform well despite being in that state,” Kihara added.
As for the free skate, Miura told, “Even though there were mistakes in the beginning, it was good that we could perform without dwelling on them. We lost some major scoring opportunities, but we received our highest score of the season. This will be a great confidence boost for the second half of the season.”
In the interview with Nikkanports, Riku and Ryuichi also told what aspect of their skating they are aiming to improve and shared their goals for the second half of the season.
“Q: Mr. Kihara, is your right hand okay?
Ryuichi Kihara: It’s nothing serious. It was just that the edge of the last dance lift pierced my hand. Since it got some blood on it and I was wearing a brand-new Kinoshita jersey, I just didn’t want to stain it. It’s not a major injury.
Q: There were some mistakes. Do you think they can be corrected?
Ryuichi Kihara: I didn’t expect to make a mistake on the toe loop, but I did, so I’m wondering if that area is okay.
Q: What kind of practice would you like to focus on going forward?
Ryuichi Kihara: I’d like to run through the program a few more times, and there are some small parts of the program I’d like to tweak. I do have various ideas, but since the period after the final was short, we only managed to practice as a duo to test things out. Without the choreographer or coach, we couldn’t create transitions, so we discussed the possibility of some ideas, and that’s where it ended for now.”
Q: Please tell us how you feel now that the World Championships have been decided.
RIku Miura: I’m very happy to have been selected. This season’s final competition is coming up, so I want to give my best performance and achieve the best results possible.
Ryuichi Kihara: I’m truly delighted to have the opportunity to participate in the Japanese Nationals for the first time in five years and to have been selected for the World Championships from there. I have been experiencing frustrating competitions this season, so I’m eager to perform my best. I also want to ensure we secure three spots there.”
Related topics: Riku Miura Ryuichi Kihara
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