Olympic Champions Announce Engagement
Olympic Pair Skating Champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara Announce Their Engagement
Key Points
The duo completed a yearly Grand Slam in the 2022-23 season by winning the Grand Prix Final, the Four Continents Championship, and the World Championships, becoming the first Japanese pair to achieve this feat.
They helped Japan secure a silver medal in the team event at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, contributing to the country’s Olympic success before their individual-pair titles.
They announced retirement after the Milan-Cortina Games and voiced plans to promote and popularize pair skating in Japan, signaling a shift to new challenges off the competitive ice.
The pair formed in 2019 after a roughly 10-year age gap—Kihara was 34 and Miura 24 at the time of the engagement—marking a long-running partnership.
Their engagement post drew massive attention globally, with the announcement video/post attracting millions of views (over 20 million) and widespread congratulatory responses.
Japanese figure skaters Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara announced their engagement on social media after winning Japan's first Olympic gold in pair skating at Milan-Cortina 2026 Fresno Bee. Kihara proposed to Miura on the ice, with the couple sharing photos and messages describing how they became irreplaceable in each other's lives. The pair, known as "Riku-Ryu," said they plan to move forward together step by step after retiring from competitive skating.
Historic Rise From Underdogs to Olympic Champions
Miura and Kihara formed their partnership in 2019 and quickly climbed to the top of international pair skating Charlotte Observer. In the 2022-23 season, they completed a yearly Grand Slam by winning the Grand Prix Final, Four Continents Championship, and World Championships. They became the first Japanese pair to achieve this feat Charlotte Observer.
At Milan-Cortina, they overcame a difficult short program to win gold Star-Telegram. Before their individual-pair titles, they helped Japan secure a silver medal in the team event at Beijing 2022 Star-Telegram. The duo's five-year journey proved that patience and persistence could overcome early setbacks.
On-Ice Proposal Captures Hearts Worldwide
Kihara's proposal to Miura on the ice struck an emotional chord with audiences globally SG HeadTopics. The engagement announcement attracted over 20 million views and drew congratulatory responses from fans and media around the world. The couple's public declaration of commitment added another layer to their already captivating relationship.
The duo, with roughly a 10-year age gap—Kihara was 34 and Miura 24 when they formed their partnership—have built a long-running connection Sacramento Bee. Their engagement post showed them describing how they had become partners both on and off the ice Sacramento Bee.
Retirement Plans to Promote Pair Skating in Japan
Miura and Kihara signaled their retirement after the Milan-Cortina Games, ending their competitive careers at the peak Star-Telegram. The pair voiced plans to pursue new challenges and promote pair skating in Japan Star-Telegram. Their shift off the competitive ice marks a new chapter in their shared journey.
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