From the Ice to the Ring: Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara Announce Engagement, Proposal Happened Right on the Rink

The proposal didn't happen at a restaurant or by the sea — it happened on the very ice they know best. Ryuichi Kihara got down on one knee and offered Riku Miura a ring. The pair, who won Japan's first-ever gold medal in pairs figure skating at the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics this past February, jointly announced their engagement on Instagram on the 23rd.

In their joint statement, the two wrote: "Through happy times and painful times, we've shared so many moments together and supported each other along the way. Before we knew it, we had become irreplaceable, indispensable presences in each other's lives." They added that going forward, they would "continue to support one another, staying true to who we are, and keep moving forward one step at a time."

The news shot to the top of social media trending charts in under an hour, with the comment section flooded with well-wishes. Many wrote things like "They really are the perfect match" and "Made for each other." After the Milan Olympics, when the pair announced their retirement and were asked about their relationship status, they had simply replied, "We'll leave that to your imagination" — now the answer has finally been revealed.

5th After the Short Program to Gold: Their Retirement Speech Hinted at This All Along

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have skated together as a pair since 2019, going through the trials of the Beijing Winter Olympics before ultimately pulling off a stunning comeback at the Milan Games — clinching gold after sitting in 5th place following the short program, writing a new chapter in Japanese pairs figure skating history and bringing their competitive careers to a close. American outlet NBC Sports quickly reported the news under the headline "Olympic Figure Skating Pairs Gold Medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara Announce Engagement," quoting the pair's remarks at their retirement: "Our competitive careers have come to an end, but we genuinely feel that we gave it everything we had, with no regrets." They also mentioned hoping to "contribute to raising the profile of pairs figure skating in Japan."

From skating partners to life partners, the duo used an on-ice proposal to connect the finish line of their athletic careers to the starting line of a new journey together. Details such as the engagement ring design and wedding date have not yet been made public.