The 2026 Olympics are proving to be veritable waterworks, for the figure skaters in particular. Japanese pairs team Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara broke down on the ice after a stellar free skate that launched them from fifth place to Olympic gold. Americans Ilia Malinin and Amber Glenn shed tears after disappointing skates that cost them spots on the podium. And, as it turns out, another competitor in the men's singles event was caught mid-breakdown—albeit for happier reasons.
Another Olympian Is Caught on Camera in Tears Right Before Medal Ceremony
Happy tears
Published Feb 20, 2026
•3:00pm
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JMP/ABACA/Shutterstock
Japan's Yuma Kagiyama was photographed with his hand over his mouth, tears in his eyes as his childhood friend and fellow competitor, Sato Shun, smiled from ear to ear. The pair had something fantastic to celebrate: Kagiyama was the Olympic silver medalist, Shun claiming bronze. This is the third Olympics in a row where two Japanese skaters have ruled the podium.
Kagiyama was trailing five points behind Malinin after the short program, and delivered a solid (though flawed) performance in the free skate that held him in second place behind Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov, who surged ahead to claim gold.
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Kagiyama skated to a remix of Stevie Wonder's "I Wish," covered by Hayato Sumino and Marcin Patrzalek in the short program. For the free skate, he set his program to Puccini's Turandot, with a revised ending by composer Christopher Tin. Now that the results in, Kagiyama currently holds four Olympic silver medals.
