Japan’s Olympic Pair Skaters Miura, Kihara Retire From Competition

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Tokyo: Olympic figure skating pairs champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have announced their retirement from competitive skating.

The Japanese duo, known as “RikuRyu,” confirmed the decision in a joint statement posted on social media on Friday.

“We, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, have decided to retire from competitive skating following the end of this season,” the pair said.

They thanked fans, coaches and supporters who had stood by them throughout their partnership.

Miura, 24, and Kihara, 33, teamed up in 2019 and became Japan’s first Olympic medallists in pairs skating.

Their breakthrough came during the 2022-23 season when they won the world championships, Four Continents Championships and Grand Prix Final.

After being slowed by injury the following season, they returned strongly in 2024-25 to claim a second world title ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

At their second Olympic appearance, the pair helped Japan win silver in the team event before capturing gold in the pairs competition after a stunning free skate performance.

The victory completed a career Grand Slam, with the duo having won every major title available in the sport.

Miura and Kihara withdrew from last month’s world championships in Prague, prompting speculation about their future.

“While our competitive careers are coming to an end, we truly feel that we gave it our all, and have no regrets,” they said.

The pair added that they now plan to take on new challenges and help raise the profile of pair skating in Japan.