Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi reveal how a secret note during Olympic pressure helped lead them to gold

Pairs figure skaters MIURA Riku and KIHARA Ryuichi, who won the gold medal at the recent Milano-Cortina Olympics, said their disappointing performance on the first day of the pairs event was a major test and Kihara revealed that a secret note from Miura to her partner helped them refocus.

After the first day of skating, Miura and Kihara found themselves in fifth place. Kihara admitted to crying many times after that performance and again before the next day’s free skate.

To reset for the second day, Miura told a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan that she wrote a message for Kihara and placed it in the bag he always uses. He was surprised when he opened the bag and saw the positive message and it helped him refocus and give the pair renewed confidence to go out and win the gold medal.

Throughout the press conference, the depth of their communication and mutual understanding was evident, with the pair often exchanging glances and naturally supporting each other as they answered questions, sometimes with jokes at each other’s expense.

Miura and Kihara have long shared a goal of making Japan a leading nation in pair skating. They said they were delighted that their gold medal has drawn greater attention to the discipline and inspired more interest at home.

They also emphasized how their partnership has matured, allowing them to approach programs with greater confidence and stability. Rather than focusing only on results, they now value the process and consistency required to perform at the highest level.

For the duo, the Olympic title represents not an end point but a new beginning, as they continue to refine their skating and strengthen their bond for future competitions.

The event drew strong media interest, underscoring their growing international presence and their role in elevating Japan’s profile in pairs skating.