Japanese Pairs Skaters Break Down After Vaulting From fifth to Olympic Gold

But the free skate? The 2025 World Champions proved that they may work miracles beneath strain. The pair skated cleanly to a medley from Gladiator—no small feat in a self-discipline the place you may usually see the feminine athletes holding on for expensive life after a very tough ingredient—and promptly broke down in tears when the music completed. Miura and Kihara embraced one another as they sank down onto their knees as the group roared; the tears dissolved into screams of disbelief within the kiss-and-cry (the place the place athletes await their scores) as they realized the gold medal was theirs. Talk a few comeback in a sport the place winners are generally decided by tenths of some extent.

With a little bit beneath every week to go earlier than the Games’ finish, I’m now turning my consideration to the women’ singles. The stakes are excessive—the final American lady to medal on the Olympics was Sasha Cohen in 2006, the place she positioned second. The quick program takes place right now, with the free skate scheduled for February 19. Will Alyssa Liu, Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito finish the medal drought? My fingers are crossed.