BB.Olympic Stars Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara Explain Their Surprise Withdrawal From the World Figure Skating Championships

Olympic Stars Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara Explain Their Surprise Withdrawal From the World Figure Skating Championships

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara: “After winning the Olympic gold medal, we realized it would be difficult to return our physical and mental condition to the pre-Olympic level in time for Worlds, so we made the decision to withdraw.”

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have withdrawn from the upcoming World Figure Skating Championship

Olympic gold medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have withdrawn from the upcoming World Figure Skating Championships, citing the difficulty of returning to peak condition so soon after the Olympics. Here’s a translation of their comments.

On the 27th, the Japan Skating Federation announced that Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who became Japan’s first Olympic gold medalists in figure skating pairs at the Milano-Cortina Games, have withdrawn from the World Figure Skating Championships (to be held in Prague, Czech Republic, starting March 24).

Through the federation, Rikuryu released a statement:

“We have decided to withdraw from the World Championships.

This season, our main goal was the Olympics, and from the start of the season, we hadn’t really considered whether we would compete at Worlds.

After winning the gold medal at the Olympics, we realized it would be difficult to return our physical and mental condition to the pre-Olympic level in time for Worlds, so we made the decision to withdraw.

As for our future plans, we will make an announcement ourselves after the season ends.

We kindly ask for your continued warm support for Rikuryu.”

“I share the same goal, so I hope to always support Ryuichi by his side,” says Riku Miura on her partner’s goal to “become coaches for the next generation and make Japan a pair skating powerhouse.”

Olympic gold medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara reflected on their dramatic victory at the Milano-Cortina Games, emphasizing their partnership, mutual support, and their dream to help Japan become a pair skating powerhouse.

Riku Miura (24) and Ryuichi Kihara (33), who won Japan’s first-ever gold medal in pairs figure skating at the Milano-Cortina Olympics, appeared live on TV Asahi’s “Hodo Station” on the February 25th. They looked back on their dramatic finish, marking the world’s highest score in the free skate after placing fifth in the short program. Here’s a translation of their comments posted on Nikkansports.

Miura, raising her fist high, and Kihara, completing the final lift, created a scene so moving that even the TV cameraman filmed it through tears. Reviewing the historic moment, Miura said, “We made no major mistakes. Because of what happened the day before, the pressure was really intense, but we were able to give everything we had, so that fist pump was filled with emotion.”

In the short program, Kihara was devastated, even shedding tears.

Still, Kihara explained, “After the official practice in the evening, we had various exchanges, and after resetting my mindset, I was able to face the competition without showing weakness, fully believing in the training we had done.”

Miura, who famously said, “I’m the big sister,” saving Kihara, also reflected on her growth.

“These past seven years, there’s always been support—encouragement at every competition, genuine support from the heart, and that’s why I was able to take on that role this time.”

There were times when injuries or poor health prevented them from training, but Kihara recalled, “Whenever one of us returned, we were always prepared to get moving right away. We watched each other’s efforts up close.”

Usually, Miura doesn’t respond to Kihara’s encouragement before competitions due to nerves, but she expressed gratitude: “He’s not shy and always honestly shares what he feels from the bottom of his heart.”

Both spoke of their dream to lead Japan to become a pair skating powerhouse. Kihara pledged, “This time, many people learned about pairs. I don’t want our generation to be the last for pairs in Japan. If there’s anything we can do to help Japan become a pair skating powerhouse, we’ll do it. There haven’t been many pair coaches in Japan, so we want to work hard to become coaches for the next generation.”

Miura agreed, “I share the same goal, so I hope to always support him by his side.”