Mikhail Shaidorov brings Kazakhstan its first gold at Winter Olympics
21-year-old Mikhail Shaidorov made history on Friday 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, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Shaidorov delivered a breathtaking clean performance to the Italian song Confessa and music from the film The Fifth Element, featuring vocals by Dimash Qudaibergen, in his free skate program.
Bringing joy to Kazakhstani supporters, Shaidorov was able to overcome the nerves to execute hard jumping elements, earning him the highest score of 198.64, which added up to total 291.58.
Shaidorov’s gold medal is Kazakhstan’s first-ever gold medal in figure skating and first Winter Olympic gold medal since 1994.
Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama and Shun Sato came in second and third, respectively.
U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin, who led the men's figure skating short program, failed to make it to the podium after several falls.
Previously, Qazinform reported the online editors of Vogue Italia have described the 2026 Olympic Games as among the most fashionable in history and compiled a feature showcasing the most striking athlete looks.