VANCOUVER–Japan’s new queen of the ice, Rika Kihira, continued to captivate spectators a day after claiming gold in the women’s competition at the figure skating Grand Prix Final.

Kihira, looking resplendent in a purplish asymmetric costume, mesmerized the crowd with her triple salchow and other jumps in a gala exhibition on Dec. 9.

Kihira, 16, expressed delight in winning the competition in her debut season the morning after her impressive feat on Dec. 8.

“I am really happy about finishing first,” she said with a smile.

Her next competition is the All-Japan Figure Skating Championships, which starts Dec. 21 in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture.

“It is an important competition that concludes this year,” she said. “I want to give a flawless performance for the people who support me.”

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