Olympic figure skating champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara announce engagement

Japanese figure skating champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have announced their engagement, becoming partners off the ice as well as on it after years of competing together.

The pair, known as “Riku-Ryu”, shared the news on Instagram on Sunday with a photograph showing Kihara kneeling on the ice while presenting Miura with a ring.

“We're engaged,” they wrote. “Through both the happy times and the difficult ones, we've shared so many moments together, supporting each other every step ‌of the way.”

Their partnership began in 2019 and included both significant achievements and physical setbacks. Kihara dealt with recurring back injuries, while Miura repeatedly competed with a chronically dislocated shoulder.

The pair became known for their smiles, laughter and embraces, with Kihara also sometimes carrying the 146cm Miura onto and off the ice.

Their Olympic victory came after a difficult moment in the competition. Miura and Kihara dropped to fifth place following an uncharacteristic error before recovering with their free programme, which was built around themes of combat, survival and triumph.

They ultimately won gold with a world-record score. Kihara, who said he “felt completely devastated” after the earlier setback, broke down in tears following their performance, with footage of the emotional moment subsequently replayed on Japanese television.

The Olympic triumph marked the peak of a partnership that continued through their announcement of retirement from competitive skating in April.

In their engagement announcement, Miura and Kihara reflected on the relationship they had developed throughout their years together.

“Over time, ‌the couple ‘became irreplaceable parts ‌of each other's lives,’” they said in the post.

The announcement had received more than 14,000 congratulatory messages within five hours.