Rika Kihira: “I knew Shingo was aiming for the Olympics, so I worried, ‘What if I’m not suited for this?’ or ‘I don’t want to hold him back.’ But we’ve been improving so quickly every day, and I feel like if we keep learning at this pace, we’ll get there.”
Rika Kihira and Shingo Nishiyama made their ice dance debut with a third-place finish at the Western Japan Championships, overcoming injuries and setbacks as they set their sights on the 2030 Olympics.
original source: Tokyo Sports, November 11th 2025 by Sota Nakanishi
At the Western Japan Figure Skating Championships and All-Japan Ice Dance Qualifier (November 1–2, Shiga), the new pair of Rika Kihira (23) and Shingo Nishiyama (23) made their debut, finishing third with a total score of 136.74 points. In an interview, the two revealed the behind-the-scenes struggles and vowed to seek redemption at the Japanese Nationals (starting December 19, Tokyo). Here’s a translation of their comments.
The pair was formed at the end of September after a tryout, giving them only one month to prepare before stepping onto the ice together. Even for Kihira, who has achieved much as a singles skater, the transition was far from easy.
“Rika Kihira: Actually, on the second day of our tryout before forming the pair, we fell during a spin and I injured the ligament on the inside of my right knee (laughs). I think it was the medial and lateral collateral ligaments…
Shingo Nishiyama: Right away, yes. I was fine, though. Rika-chan took the brunt of it all…”
Suddenly, there was a period of about a week when they couldn’t skate. While Kihira watched Nishiyama’s practice and did image training, she was hit by more setbacks, including pain near her back.
“Rika Kihira: Maybe it was because I was trying to learn new skills too quickly, but I also hurt my ribs from the centrifugal force during spins… After resting, it got a little better, but the pain came back during the qualifier, so I was really on the edge. After the event, I had it checked and it turned out to be a mild rib fracture.
Shingo Nishiyama: If our timing isn’t in sync, one of us gets pulled during spins… Honestly, we didn’t even know if we’d be able to compete. Rika-chan must have been really anxious, but I wanted her to experience how fun ice dance can be, so I kept telling her, ‘Let’s enjoy the ice dance competition together.’”
Despite the ups and downs, their debut performance captivated the audience. However, in the free dance, mistakes in lifts, twizzles, and other details stood out.
“Rika Kihira: We finally managed to compete and put together a solid performance, but it was clear we hadn’t practiced enough. There’s only a month and a half until Nationals, but I want to train hard, show big growth and improvement, and aim for a mistake-free performance after learning how frustrating mistakes can be.
Shingo Nishiyama: For the qualifier, we could only prepare enough to get through the competition, but for the Nationals, I want to be ready to fight. I feel we have potential, so I want us to challenge the top teams.”
The duo have their sights set on the 2030 Olympics, moving forward with strong determination.
Rila Kihira: I knew Shingo-kun was aiming for the Olympics, so I worried, ‘What if I’m not suited for this?’ or ‘I don’t want to hold him back.’ But we’ve been improving so quickly every day, and I feel like if we keep learning at this pace, we’ll get there. We communicate well, so I’m looking forward to what’s ahead.
Shingo Nishiyama: Since I’m skating with Rika-chan, I really want to help her stand at the center of the National podium. For me, it’s more of a driving force than pressure. Skating with Rika-chan, I’ve seen her adaptability and how quickly she learns, so I believe we can aim for the same goals together.”
Related topics: Rika Kihira, Shingo Nishiyama
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