On Monday, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan claimed the gold medal in the pairs figure skating event at the Olympic Games held in Milan. After finishing fifth in the short program, the Japanese skaters excelled in the free skate, earning the top score and totaling 231.24 points overall. This victory marks a significant improvement for the pair, who had finished seventh at the Beijing Olympics four years ago and had previously secured silver in the team events at both the 2022 and 2026 Olympics.

Miura and Kihara have demonstrated their prowess by also becoming the world champions in 2023 and 2025, showcasing their remarkable consistency and skill in the sport. The competition saw strong performances from other teams as well, with Georgia's Anastasia Metelkina and Luka Berulava taking home the silver with a total of 221.75 points, while the German pair of Minerva Fabiene Haase and Nikita Volodin earned the bronze with 219.09 points. Notably, the German duo was leading after the short program, but a lower score in the free skate resulted in their slip to third place.

The ongoing Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympic Games, which will continue until February 22, serve as a showcase for athletic excellence, and Miura and Kihara's success in this event not only underscores their trajectory as elite competitors but also highlights the rising standard of pairs figure skating on the international stage.