Riku Miura: “I like being thrown and spun around. Kids who love amusement park rides would enjoy pairs skating.”
Riku Miura, competing in her second Olympics with partner Ryuichi Kihara, is known for her resilience, cheerful personality, and admiration for top pairs, aiming to help Japan surpass its previous Olympic medal record.
original source: Nikkansports 31st January 2026 by Wataru Matsumoto
Under the theme “Strongest Japanese Figure Skating,” Nikkansport’s series introduces the athletes’ true personalities for ten consecutive days leading up to the opening. The fourth installment features pairs skater Riku Miura (24), who will compete in her second Olympics with Ryuichi Kihara (33). Here’s a translation of her comment.
At age five, Miura started skating after watching Mickey and Minnie skate in a Disney cartoon and thinking, “That looks fun!” Originally from Takarazuka City, Hyogo, she trained as a singles skater under Takeshi Honda, who placed fourth at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. She also tried rhythmic gymnastics and karate, though she jokes, “There’s nowhere to use karate. Sometimes I just kick for fun,” grinning at Kihara beside her. Miura loves anime and once dreamed of becoming a voice actress. She switched to pairs in 2015, saying, “I like being thrown and spun around. Kids who love amusement park rides would enjoy pairs skating.”
The “RikuRyu” partnership began with Miura’s invitation. Both had ended previous pairings, and in July 2019, Miura herself initiated a tryout. Ice dancer Misato Komatsubara, a mutual friend, had recommended Kihara as “kind, good-natured, and passionate.” However, Miura’s first impression was, “He seemed really scary. I thought he’d be hard to approach.” Kihara was wearing a black altitude training mask, running with a serious expression and making a “skoo, skoo” sound. Their initial interactions were stiff, but as they spent more time together, Kihara told her, “You don’t have to use formal language with me.”
Miura is known for her forgetfulness at competitions. At the 2024 Grand Prix Final, she forgot to paint the nails on her left hand, saying with a wry smile, “Nail polish doesn’t dry quickly. My dominant hand is my left, so I just painted my right and left it at that…” At the 2025 World Championships, she wore practice clothes for the official free skate practice because she’d left her costume tights at the hotel, only changing into her costume after returning. Kihara explained, “If the position of the waist hold is even a little high, the feeling is off. I wanted to check that with the costume.” Fans know this as one of Miura’s endearing traits.
Miura’s eyes light up when talking about Sui Wenjing, the Chinese pair skater who won gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. The “Sui/Han” pair has long been at the top. Miura and Kihara competed alongside them at the 2019 NHK Trophy in their first season together, and Miura said passionately, “I just admire them… I love the atmosphere between the two, and I want us to be like that.” The “Sui/Han” pair returned this season after three years away. At the Beijing Olympics, Miura and Kihara finished seventh while Sui/Han won gold, and Miura is determined: “This time, I want to catch up to them.” Kihara added, “It feels good to be the ones chasing again. It’s less pressure,” and as reigning world champions, they continue to pursue their idols.
Kihara has long praised Miura’s inner strength: “Her core strength and mental toughness when she switches on are the best in the world.” At the Japanese Nationals in December 2025, Miura dislocated her left shoulder during the six-minute warm-up before the short program. Nevertheless, she led with an ISU-unofficial world record score of 84.91 points. She never considered withdrawing, saying, “I just believed in everything I’ve done so far and went for it.” At 146 cm tall, Miura turns her petite frame into an advantage, earning a reputation for her core strength, essential for female pair skaters, and her skill in landing throw jumps.
Related topics: Riku Miura Ryuichi Kihara
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