Mikhail Shaidorov, a figure skater from Kazakhstan, won a gold medal at the 2026 Olympic Games. The country's president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, announced the awarding of the athlete with the Order of "Barys" and noted that Shaidorov has become the successor to Denis Ten, who previously brought fame to Kazakhstan in figure skating.
Shaidorov triumphed in men's singles skating, scoring 291.58 points, of which 198.64 were for the free program. This medal became the first for Kazakhstan at the current Winter Olympics and the first gold medal in 32 years.
The silver medal was won by Yuma Kagiyama with a score of 280.06 points, while the bronze medalist was Shuna Sato with 274.90 points.
In his address, Tokayev congratulated Mikhail on this historic victory and expressed gratitude to his coaches, noting that Shaidorov will be awarded the Order of "Barys" of the II degree.
Previously, Denis Ten brought Kazakhstan a bronze medal at the Sochi Olympics in 2014. Videos from Ten's master class, which also featured a young Shaidorov, are actively circulating on social media, leading many Kazakhs to call Mikhail his successor.
After the results were announced, the 21-year-old skater openly shared his emotions:
— I couldn't believe it. The whole season has been a real test for me; I struggled with myself. I tried to land five quadruple jumps in competitions, but I couldn't do it even once. However, today everything came together, and I did my best. I have been working towards this goal for almost five years, and today I was able to show everything I am capable of. I dedicate this medal to all of Kazakhstan, — noted Mikhail Shaidorov in an interview.
