Japan’s Olympic figure skating heroes to wed

Japanese Olympic pairs figure skating champions Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi are set to become partners off the ice as well.

The pair, often referred to as “Riku-Ryu”, announced their engagement on social media on Sunday, 23 August.

“We’re engaged,” they captioned a photo in which Kihara kneels on the ice and holds out a ring to Miura.

“Through both the happy times and the difficult ones, we’ve shared so many moments together, supporting eachother every step of the way.

Over time, we became irreplaceable parts of each other’s lives-someone neither of us could imagine life without.

“As we begin this new chapter, we’ll continue to support each other and move forward together, one step at a time, while always staying true to who we are.”

Since pairing in 2019, their journey has been far from straightforward.

Kihara, 34, struggled with persistent back problems, while Miura, who is 24, continued to compete through the pain of a chronically dislocated shoulder.

At the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, they not only earned a historic gold but also a world record.

They became the first Japanese pair to win an Olympic pairs figure skating gold medal.

The pair announced their retirement from competition in April but have remained active in promoting pairs figure skating.