Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara: “We made major mistakes in our short program and took on the burden of bad luck for Kaori-chan. Since we’ve dealt with the setbacks, I believe Kaori has nothing to worry about.”
Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara on Kaori Sakamoto and her support.
original source: sponichi.co.jp dd. 1th February
After their historic gold medal win in the pairs event at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara expressed gratitude to teammate Kaori Sakamoto, whose encouragement helped them overcome challenges to achieve victory. They now hope their success will inspire Sakamoto in her upcoming short program.. Here’s a translation of their comments.
When asked about Kaori Sakamoto’s support from the audience, Miura described the positive influence of her close friend and teammate: “Kaori-chan has always been a source of support for me, and her bright personality has saved me many times. After the short program, when we dropped to fifth place, she waited for us at the accommodation and encouraged us by saying, ‘You’ll absolutely be fine.’ Her words gave me strength.”
Miura added, “For Kaori-chan and for everyone else, I really wanted to do my best. She cried even more than we did after our free skate victory. She’s such a kind-hearted person. I’ll be cheering for her with all my heart in her upcoming short program.”
Kihara echoed Miura’s sentiments, emphasizing Sakamoto’s significant role in Team Japan’s spirit: “Both of us gained energy and strength from Kaori-chan. She gave us so much courage before our free skate. Without her, Team Japan wouldn’t be complete.”
Responding to Sakamoto’s expressed fear about competing in the Olympics, Kihara offered comforting and uplifting words: “We made major mistakes in our short program and took on the burden of bad luck for Kaori-chan. Since we’ve dealt with the setbacks, I believe Kaori has nothing to worry about. I hope she can skate freely and without fear.”
Related topics: Kaori Sakamoto, Olympic Games, Riku Miura Ryuichi Kihara
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