00:00The Pairs champions from Japan coming back from fifth place to win gold.
00:04I spoke with their coach Bruno Marcotte.
00:07He was looking for a partner for Ryuchi and saw in Riku, a really spunky, very talented skater.
00:15He admits that he didn't think initially that they could be Olympic champions,
00:18but he was very happy to be proven wrong.
00:21It wasn't an easy win.
00:23They finished fifth after the short program when they had a little trouble with one of their lifts.
00:29Ryuchi was despondent after the program, and Riku said that he continued to cry even the following day,
00:36and she felt it was up to her to sort of lift his spirits and keep him focused on the
00:42free program.
00:43And Bruno, their coach, also said that he told them before they went out for the free program
00:48to just skate like you are the world's best skaters tonight.
00:52And that they did.
00:53They were among the few pairs who skated a clean, powerful program,
00:57and they were the only pair to earn a standing ovation from the crowd.
01:02It's Japan's very first gold in pairs figure skating, but it likely won't be their last.
01:09Bruno says the Japanese Skating Federation has been working with him
01:12and other high-level coaches to improve the level and quality of skating in the country
01:18and hopes to bring more medals home for Japan in the future.
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