“The shock of thinking that everything we’d built up over these seven years might end like this was so great that I couldn’t stop crying.” Ryuichi Kihara about mistake in the SP at the Olympics
Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, known as “RikuRyu,” reflected on their emotional journey after a mistake in the Olympic short program, which ultimately led to their historic gold medal.
original source: Nikkansports 20th March 2026
On February 20, Riku Miura (24) and Ryuichi Kihara (33), who won gold in pairs figure skating at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, appeared on TV Asahi’s “Tetsuko’s Room Special Edition.” They spoke about their feelings after finishing fifth in the Olympic short program. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Nikkansports.
In the SP, a mistake on the lift had a major impact, leaving them 6.9 points behind the leading pair. Kihara described the error as “a really unfortunate mistake,” explaining that “the costume seemed to slip from the spot where my hand was placed,” and that “the rotation speed was too fast,” among other factors.
Although they didn’t shed tears immediately after their performance, Kihara shared that the emotions overflowed the next morning:
“With a gap of about 7 points, I started to feel like it was impossible. The shock of thinking that everything we’d built up over these seven years might end like this was so great that I couldn’t stop crying,” he said, his voice trembling.
Even so, Miura encouraged him, saying, “It’s not over yet.” This support helped Kihara regain his resolve, setting the stage for their dramatic comeback.
Related topics: Olympic Games, Riku Miura Ryuichi Kihara
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