Japan's top pairs team prepares for crucial Olympic performance in team event finals.
Japan's figure skating pairs team of Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara are set to compete in the pairs free skate portion of the Olympic team event finals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. The duo, known by their popular nickname "RikuRyu," represents Japan's strongest medal hopes in the pairs discipline.
The team event format allows countries to field their best skaters across all four disciplines - men's, women's, pairs, and ice dance - with points accumulated across short programs and free skates to determine the overall team champion. Japan's participation in the team event demonstrates the country's growing depth in figure skating across multiple disciplines.
Miura and Kihara's Olympic Journey
Miura and Kihara have established themselves as one of the world's premier figure skating pairs teams in recent seasons. Their partnership has been crucial to Japan's competitive presence in international pairs skating, a discipline where the country has historically faced challenges against traditional powerhouses from Russia, China, and North America.
The pairs free skate represents the longer of the two pairs segments in the team event, allowing teams to showcase their full range of technical elements including throws, lifts, and synchronized jumps. The performance will contribute valuable points toward Japan's overall team standing.
Figure SkatingAlysa Liu Captivates at Milano Cortina 2026 Free SkateOlympic Team Event Strategy
The team event has become one of the most anticipated competitions at recent Olympics, offering nations an opportunity to medal through collective strength rather than individual brilliance. For Japan, fielding competitive skaters across all four disciplines provides multiple pathways to the podium.
The broadcast coverage by NHK underscores the significant domestic interest in Japan's Olympic figure skating campaigns, with comprehensive live streaming and full competition coverage available for fans following the team's progress in Milano Cortina.
