Japan Eyes Record Medal Haul at 2026 Winter Olympics | China Struggles
Japan’s Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi have secured the nation’s first Olympic gold medal in pairs figure skating, completing a dramatic comeback at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. The pair overturned a six-point deficit after the short program to win with a total score of 231.24, setting a new world record.
The victory, confirmed on February 17th, saw Miura and Kihara deliver a stunning free skate performance, scoring 158.13 points – surpassing the previous record of 157.46 points held by Mishina and Galliamov from the 2022 European Championships. Their performance included a successful triple twist lift, triple toe loop, triple Lutz and a throw triple loop.
The win marks a significant milestone for Japanese figure skating, a discipline where a gold medal in the pairs event had previously remained elusive. Japan’s last Olympic gold in figure skating came at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, when Yuzuru Hanyu won the men’s singles title.
“It’s a historic moment for Japanese figure skating,” reported Japanese news outlet Sponichi Annex, noting that celebrations have erupted across the country. Kihara Ryuichi was visibly emotional after the performance, shedding tears on the ice, while both skaters embraced in jubilation upon the announcement of their scores.
Japan’s overall performance at the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Games has been strong, with a current medal count of 4 gold, 5 silver, and 9 bronze, totaling 18 medals as of February 16th. This ties the nation’s record for most medals won at a Winter Olympics, previously achieved at the 2022 Beijing Games. Adding just one more medal will establish a new national record.
The strong showing exceeds pre-Games expectations. Shoreview Sports Analytics had predicted Japan would win 5 gold, 6 silver, and 6 bronze medals, while Sports Illustrated forecasted 9 gold, 9 silver, and 6 bronze. Japan has so far secured gold medals in snowboarding (3) and figure skating (1), with athletes also contending for medals in ski jumping, freestyle skiing, and speed skating.
In contrast, China’s performance has been more subdued. Currently, China holds 3 silver and 2 bronze medals, without any gold, placing them 19th in the overall medal standings. This contrasts sharply with their success at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where they secured 9 gold medals and a total of 15 medals.
Gu Ailing, a two-time gold medalist in Beijing, has won two silver medals at the current Games, while Sui Ming, who won one gold and one silver in 2022, has added a bronze to China’s tally. China still has opportunities to improve its medal count, particularly in freestyle skiing aerials, a discipline Sports Illustrated had identified as a potential source of gold.