Figure Skater Rika Kihira to Switch to Ice Dance Following Injuries That Have Kept Her Out of Competitions

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:43 JST, September 30, 2025

Two-time all-Japan champion figure skater Rika Kihira announced on Monday that she is making the switch to ice dancing starting this season.

Kihira, 23, has been performing at figure skating’s top level since she was in her teens, winning the 2018 Grand Prix Final, among other titles. In recent years, however, she has been struggling with ankle injuries, which have kept her out of competition since the 2023-24 season. As a result, she lost her chance to compete in the singles event at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics next February.

Kihira revealed her plan to partner with 23-year-old Shingo Nishiyama and aim for the Olympics in the ice dance event in an online interview on the day.

“I want to do my best to seize this opportunity,” she said.