15:29 JST, February 18, 2026

Spontaneous applause erupted from the arena and teammates who were cheering on the pair shed tears. It was a breathtaking performance and comeback victory that enveloped the audience in profound emotion.

The team of Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara has won the pairs gold medal in figure skating at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, Japan’s first-ever medal in the event.

Although they placed fifth in the short program, they scored the highest points ever recorded in the free skate, clinching the top spot with a comeback victory. The image of the two embracing after their performance with a thousand emotions was very impactful.

During the short program, a mistake occurred midway through a lift when their timing was off, causing them to lose........

© The Japan News