'Out of the blue': Shaidorov on Jackie Chan’s surprise Olympic gala appearance

For exhibition performances, skaters traditionally prepare a unique routine separate from their competitive programs. For the exhibition gala, Shaidorov and his team choreographed a special routine in which the skater performs on ice in a panda costume.

The champion admitted that Jackie Chan’s participation in the routine was not originally planned.

"It happened out of the blue. When I arrived at the rink, I found out that Jackie Chan was already there. Of course, the first thing I did was run to take a photo with him. He congratulated me, and I told him he absolutely had to watch my gala performance. He agreed and said he would stay. Later, through the staff and organizers, we arranged for him to come onto the ice at the end of the number," Mikhail said.

The skater admitted that performing in a panda costume is not easy.

"Even just standing in the costume is a challenge — it’s very hot. As for jumping, that’s an art in itself. The costume is large and fairly light; with any movement, it starts to swing from side to side, which is quite dangerous," Shaidorov explained.

The skater noted that he has fully realized the magnitude of his Olympic victory and is now eager to return home.

Notably, Georgian skaters Luka Berulava and Nika Egadze also took part in the performance at Mikhail’s invitation.

Qazinform previously reported that 21-year-old Mikhail Shaidorov made history by winning Kazakhstan’s first-ever gold medal in figure skating for his stunning performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics.