2026 Olympic Games champion Shaidorov warmly welcomed in Astana

Fans, representatives of sports community, and officials greeted the athlete at the airport.

Addressing the attendees, Shaidorov said he was happy to be at home.

“I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who came here tonight to welcome me. It is truly touching, because I feel immense pride for my country, when the Flag of Kazakhstan was raised at the Olympic Games. I have received so many warm words. Thank you to everyone who supports me, for such wonderful gifts. Honestly, I have no words – just enormous gratitude for your support. This is a huge motivation for me to keep growing and glorify our country,” said Mikhail.

President of the National Olympic Committee, Gennady Golovkin, also congratulated the athlete on his arrival.

“I want to thank, first of all, the coaches and families of our champions – those who have always been by their side. The Ministry, the Federation, the National Olympic Committee, the Head of State, who provided support. Kazakhstan has earned this. We now have a gold medal in figure skating. Be proud of it! These are our new heroes!” Golovkin emphasized.

Sponsors of the Kazakhstan Figure Skating Union presented Mikhail Shaidorov with a certificate for a three-room apartment in Astana. Certificates for one-room apartments were also awarded to Assem Kassanova, head coach of the national figure skating team, and skater Sofya Samodelkina, who finished in the Top 10 at the 2026 Olympic Games.

As Qazinform reported, 21-year-old Mikhail Shaidorov made history after winning Kazakhstan’s first-ever gold medal in figure skating for his stunning performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and the country’s first gold medal in 32 years.

Reflecting on his triumph, Shaidorov said he could not believe he had become an Olympic champion until the last minute. In his words, the current season was challenging for him, as he had to make changes to his short program in the mid-season, and increase the difficulty of his free program a day before the Olympic final.

International news outlets were stunned by the young athlete’s achievement, with many respected media organizations highlighting his breakthrough victory.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev extended his congratulatory message to Mikhail Shaidorov on his Olympic win. The Head of State also announced his decision to award Mikhail Shaidorov the Order of Barys, 2nd Class, and also expressed gratitude to the coaching staff and the leadership of the relevant ministry for their work.