“Aren’t you scared in the air?” Riku Miura answered, “He always tells me that if I fall, he’ll be there to catch me. I trust him completely, so I’m not scared at all.”
Olympic gold medalist pair Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara announced their retirement and made their first public appearance afterward, meeting Princess Aiko and reflecting on their journey and achievements.
original source: Nikkansports 17th April 2026
Riku Miura (24) and Ryuichi Kihara (33) of the Kinoshita Group—made a sudden announcement on the 17th that they will retire from competition at the end of this season. That afternoon, they attended a garden party at Akasaka Imperial Gardens in Tokyo, marking their first public appearance since the announcement. Here’s a translation.
They met Princess Aiko, the daughter of the Emperor and Empress. At the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February, the pair rose from fifth place in the short program to win gold. When Princess Aiko mentioned, “I heard you talked about skating for each other in the free skate,” Miura responded, “We wanted to win gold, but overthinking can backfire. We decided to return to our roots and skate for each other.”
Princess Aiko also asked about the “throw jump,” where Miura is thrown by Kihara: “How is it different from jumping on your own, like in singles? How far do you travel?” Kihara replied, “About four meters. I think that’s about right.” When asked, “Aren’t you scared in the air?” Miura answered, “He always tells me that if I fall, he’ll be there to catch me. I trust him completely, so I’m not scared at all.”
Interestingly, Princess Aiko and Riku Miura were both born in 2001, with birthdays close together – Aiko on December 1 and Miura on December 17. Princess Aiko said, “We’re the same age and both born in December. I’ve always felt a sense of closeness. Please take care of yourselves, and I’m happy to have met you.” Both Miura and Kihara smiled warmly in response.
Related topics: Riku Miura Ryuichi Kihara
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