Olympic champions Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi withdraw from 2026 World Figure Skating Championships
A new figure skating pair will be crowned world champions this March as Japan’s Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi have officially announced they will not defend their title at the 2026 ISU World Figure Skating Championships taking place in Prague, Czechia. This decision comes after the defending world champions from Japan cited a short turnaround period from the recent Olympic competitions.
Miura and Kihara captured their first world title in 2023, followed by another championship in 2025, culminating in gold at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 held earlier this February. Initially listed to compete at the 2026 Worlds from March 24 to 29, the pair explained through the Japan Skating Federation their reasoning for withdrawal. “This season, our main goal was the Olympics, and from the start of the season, we hadn’t really considered whether we would compete at Worlds,” they stated.
They further noted, “After winning the gold medal at the Olympics, we realized it would be difficult to return our physical and mental condition to the pre-Olympic level in time for Worlds, so we made the decision to withdraw.” The athletes hinted that they plan to share their future competition plans once the season concludes.
The absence of Miura and Kihara, along with Canadian defending champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, has opened the door for new contenders to vie for the world titles. Olympic silver medallists Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava from Georgia, along with bronze medallists Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin from Germany, are among the top contenders, each seeking their first world title.
As the championship dates approach, the figure skating community anticipates thrilling performances and fierce competition in Prague. The absence of past champions sets a dynamic stage for emerging talents, making the upcoming championships must-see events in the figure skating calendar.
