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Japan's Miura and Kihara Claim Historic Pairs Gold

2/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won the gold in pairs skating at the 2026 Olympics, Japan's first in this category.
They rose from fifth in the short program to win the free skate, scoring 158 points.
Georgia's Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava earned silver, while Germany's Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin took bronze.
Defending champions China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong finished fifth, and Russian teams were absent.

History

Historical Context

The 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, held from February 8 to 24, followed a bidding scandal that led to significant reforms in the International Olympic Committee. The event, which featured 2,399 athletes from 78 nations, set records in viewership and revenue. The subsequent rise of Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who won gold in 2026, reflects the lasting impact of these changes.

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Story summary

Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won the gold in pairs skating at the 2026 Olympics, Japan's first in this category.
They rose from fifth in the short program to win the free skate, scoring 158 points.
Georgia's Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava earned silver, while Germany's Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin took bronze.
Defending champions China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong finished fifth, and Russian teams were absent.

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