At the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Japanese figure skater Rikiya Kihara was unable to move for more than 10 seconds after their performance due to a major mistake in their routine, resulting in a disappointing fifth place in the short program despite their preparations.
During the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Rikiya Kihara and his partner experienced a significant setback during their performance, where their synchrony faltered, leading to a failure in the lift portion of their routine. Following the performance, Kihara appeared stunned and spent over 10 seconds with his head down, unable to react. Coach Bruno Marcotte expressed disbelief at the mistake, noting that such errors had never occurred during practice. Entering the competition as world champions and with meticulous preparation, the fifth-place finish in the short program was unexpected and disappointing.
