Japanese Pair Figure Skaters "RikuRyu" Emotionally Announce Retirement, No Regrets Leaving the Arena

Tokyo, April 17 (CNA) Japanese pair figure skaters Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, known as "RikuRyu," who won Japan's first-ever gold medal in pair figure skating at the Milan Winter Olympics, announced their joint retirement today via social media. In a joint emotional statement on Instagram, they said, "Although we are bringing our competitive careers to an end, our hearts are filled with the satisfaction of having given our all, with no regrets."

Riku Miura is 24 years old, from Hyogo Prefecture; Ryuichi Kihara is 33 years old, from Aichi Prefecture. Although they have a 9-year age difference, their excellent coordination in lift techniques led them to form a partnership in 2019. Based in Canada, they trained under Bruno Marcotte, continuously improving their skills and gaining experience in international competitions.

In their first Olympic appearance, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, they placed 7th and contributed to the team event's silver medal. In 2023, "RikuRyu" became the first Japanese pair to win the World Championships, and won again in 2025, joining the ranks of top world figure skating pairs.

At this year's Milan Winter Olympics in February, the pair made a mistake in their signature lift during the short program, initially ranking 5th. However, they then delivered a perfectly coordinated and overwhelming performance in the free skate, achieving a historic comeback with a record-high score to win the gold medal. The journey from "despair to miracle" moved the world.

Their unspoken chemistry and deep trust off the ice also boosted "RikuRyu's" popularity.

For example, Kihara carrying Miura up and down the podium earned him the nickname "Kihara Transport." At the Olympic closing ceremony, Kihara lifted Miura high so she could take photos of the venue with her phone, also becoming a focal point and sparking a "RikuRyu" craze worldwide.

Throughout their professional careers, the "RikuRyu" duo achieved a "Golden Slam" by conquering the Olympics, World Championships, Four Continents Championships, and Grand Prix Final, a feat of extreme difficulty.

After the Olympics, the pair missed the World Championships in March, stating at the time that their future plans were "undecided." However, they suddenly announced their joint retirement today to challenge new fields.

In identical statements on their respective social media accounts, they said, "We sincerely express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported us along the way. 'RikuRyu' could not have come this far without the help of everyone around us. Whenever we faced difficulties, someone always extended a helping hand. It is this continuous support that has made us who we are today."

"Although we are bringing our competitive careers to an end, our hearts are filled with the satisfaction of having given our all, with no regrets. Every step of our journey has filled us with immense pride and many gains. In the future, we will jointly challenge new fields, hoping to introduce more Japanese people to pair figure skating. We hope everyone will continue to support us warmly in the future." (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150417