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Japan has [scraped / scooped] its first-ever Olympic gold medal for [pairs / pair] figure skating. Ice skater Riku Miura and her partner Ryuichi Kihara dazzled a highly [appreciative / appreciation] crowd on their way to [pacing / placing] first in the pairs free skate competition. Their outstanding and dynamic performance also set a world record. After [a / the] first round, the pair were a fair way down the field of contenders [for / of] gold. They knew they would have to pull out all the stops to have any chance [to / of] getting a medal. And they did that with [a bomb / aplomb] . Their routine was a stunning display of athleticism, [dare / daring] , speed, and technique. The spectators at the Milano Ice Skating Arena gave the duo a standing ovation to thunderous [applause / applaud] .

The couple seemed shell-shocked after [left / leaving] the ice to speak to waiting reporters. An [out-of-breath / breather] Mr Kihara exclaimed: "We were determined to [nail / screw] it." He added: "It's still [unbelievable / believable] . I never thought we could win gold today, so it feels incredibly good." The couple first teamed [down / up] in 2019. Ms Miura said: "We have had so many experiences [over / under] the past seven years and we have grown a lot, so I think that is the reason why we managed to [triumph / triumphant] and win the gold medal." Their coach, Bruno Marcotte, [rained / showered] them with praise. He said: "I think today they were able to create magic. They skated with their [heart / kidneys] . Their connection really came through, and it was just [pore / pure] magic."