Riku-Ryuu, the Pair-Skating Duo Gold Medalists Land
Gracefully At FCCJ, and Perform a Fun Press Conference
02/25/2026

私はFCCJ（Foreign Correspondents Club in Japan=外国特派員協会）のAssociate Member (準メンバー)　ですが、あのオリンピック金メダル・ペア「りくりゅう」のお二人が2月25日、丸の内二重橋ビル内、同協会において記者会見を行い、私はこれに参席してきました。前日申し込んだときは満席だったのですが、当日、席が確保できたとのことで、なんとかもぐりこむことができました。
記者会見の模様は、既にFCCJより逐一報道されておりますが（りくりゅうFCCJ）、私が直接見聞きして感じたことだけ、二つ、三つコメントしたいと思いました。

• 三浦璃来、木原龍一両選手とも、さわやかで聡明なアスリートで、「若くしてこれだけキチンと、そして聞く人に感動を与える受け答え」ができる人柄に、まず魅了されました。　たくさんの話の中で、特に感じ入ったのは、記者から「大逆転の金メダルを獲得できた秘訣は？」と問われて、お二人より「それはやはり、相互信頼だと思います」と明快に答えられたことでした。重ねて、「お二人の強みと弱み（弱みは無いと思うが）？」と問われ、木原龍一選手より、「やはり＜相互信頼＞が、息の合った、危険を乗り越える演技に繋げることができることだと考えます。」、併せて「弱みと言えば、リクちゃんが、よく忘れ物をすること」と付け加え、会場の笑いを誘いました。りゅう、付け加えて、「でも、よく忘れ物をするということは、それほど、演技に集中できていることだと思います」（笑）と！　リクさん自身、「帰国時もバタバタしていてバックパックを空港の税関エリアに置き忘れたのですが、その中には頂いた金メダルが入っていたので一瞬焦りました！」とのこと。
  
• これは会見中ではなく、何度も繰り返して拝見したお二人の演技の動画映像の中で、 全ての演技が超絶ものだったことはモチロンなんですが、特に、その冒頭で、音楽が始まると二人が向き合って立ち、手をつないだ上、それぞれの身体を交差させ、片一方の膝を折り、もう一方の脚を伸ばし、やわらかな「揺らぎ」の動作をシンクロ的に表現していましたね、これが美しいな、と感じました。静かな音楽の雰囲気とも、とても合っていました。　ペアであれ、シングルであれ、フィギュア・スケートは、技術プラス芸術性だな、と改めて感じ入った次第。

「りくりゅうペアー」についての英訳コメント

A press conference was held at FCCJ (Foreign Correspondents Club in Japan) for the pair-skating Gold Medalists, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, on Wednesday, 25th February. I am an associate member of FCCJ, and immediately applied for a seat on the previous day, but all seats were gone, but the next morning, FCCJ called and offered a seat which became available in the last minute, and, of course, I accepted the offer and joined it.
The full version of the press interview has been released by FCCJ, and is available for viewing on internet(RikuRyuu FCCJ), so I just wanted to touch upon a couple of points which I felt worthy of reporting to you besides everything else…

• I was simply captivated by the charming personality and the mild eloquence with which both Riku and Ryuichi ran the show, and it gave the reporters and the audience a lot of affectionate feelings for this young athlete duo.
  From among many questions made from reporters, one was, “What do you think was the key to the winning at this time after having made an error during the short program?”, and the duo answered by saying “I think it is the mutual trust between two of us”, and another question was made, “What do you think is the strong point of both of you, “culminating to your Gold Medal” and a weak point (“Don’t think any, though”) ?” To this candid question, Ryuichi answered by saying, “I want to repeat that it is that mutual trust we have built up between two of us over years, having overcome this, in a way, risky and dangerous sport of pair figure skating…”
  Ryu added to say, “ When it comes to the weakness points, one could be Riku’s forgetfulness, which keeps coming up all the time”, causing laughter and chuckle in the hall. Ryu didn’t forget to stress by saying, “Perhaps Riku forgets things behind or doing things from time to time, because she is so-o-o much focused on the game of skating to perfection”, causing another round of chuckle and cheers from the audience. Riku admitted by saying, “As a matter of fact, I forgot to pick up my backpack from the customs area, and had to hurry back there., as my Gold Medal was inside it!” (another agreeing chuckle)
  
• Separate from this press conference, I noticed one beautiful moment in the performance of Riku & Ryu in this final Free Program routine on one of the final days during the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, and that was: When the duo came on to the rink for this crucial stage, they stood face-to-face, then crossed each other, with hand-to-hand posture, each of the two swayed forward and back slowly and gracefully, keeping tempo with the music prepared for their performance – a beautifully artistic prelude to an impeccable performance.!!

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