Category: Sport

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“I THOUGHT IT WAS OVER.” When the scorecards confirmed Japan’s first Olympic gold medal in doubles figure skating, Ryuichi Kihara didn’t jump for joy. He collapsed on the ice, weeping beside Riku Miura. Few knew that before that moment, Kihara had worked at a small ice rink in Aichi, handing out skates to beginners and believing his dream was over. Then Miura appeared… and everything changed. When the world saw a champion kneeling in tears, they realized: it wasn’t just a victory — it was the story of someone who had almost given up everything.

No one cried more than Ryuichi Kihara in the doubles event at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics. But after all, those very tears paved the way for a golden moment for Japanese figure skating....