World tabloids report on the triumph of Kazakh figure skater Shaidorov at the Olympics

The Guardian: Ilia Malinin falls twice as Kazakhstan’s Shaidorov stuns field for Olympic gold

For nearly two years, Ilia Malinin made men’s figure skating feel inevitable, The Guardian reports. On Friday night in Milan, inevitability gave way to something far rarer: Mikhail Shaidorov.

The 21-year-old Kazakh delivered the skate of his life when it mattered most, posting a season-best 291.58 to surge from fifth after the short program to Olympic gold. As favored contenders faltered one by one, Shaidorov stayed composed, building his free skate around five quads, including a quad lutz, toe loop and quad flip, with the calm precision of a champion. When his scores flashed, he looked as stunned as anyone.

Malinin, the overwhelming favorite, unraveled in the final group and fell from first to eighth. “I blew it,” he said. “There’s no way that just happened.” But this night belonged to Shaidorov, whose clean performance proved exactly what wins Olympic titles when pressure overwhelms pedigree.

He became the first Kazakh Olympic figure skating champion, delivering his country’s first gold medal of these Games and its first Winter Olympic gold since Lillehammer 1994.

What seemed destined to be a coronation instead became a breakthrough and a reminder that at the Olympics, history can turn in seven minutes.

BBC Sport: Shaidorov wins gold as 'Quad God' Malinin crumbles

According to BBC Sport, Ilia Malinin arrived in Milan-Cortina as the “Quad God.” He left the ice shaking his head. And in the silence that followed his unraveling, Mikhail Shaidorov seized history.

In a chaotic men’s free skate where five of the final six skaters fell, the 21-year-old from Kazakhstan was the only one to stay upright. Calm where others cracked, Shaidorov delivered when it mattered most, landing his quads with assurance and composure as the Olympic title tilted toward him.

Malinin fell twice and abandoned his planned quad Axel, finishing eighth with the 15th-best free skate of the night. Yuma Kagiyama stumbled to silver, Shun Sato claimed bronze. But the night belonged to Shaidorov.

Even after a slight slip on his quad lutz, he held his nerve and completed the rest of his program cleanly, watching as one favorite after another faltered. When the scores confirmed it, he stood as Kazakhstan’s first Winter Olympic champion in 32 years, the nation’s first gold since Lillehammer 1994, a decade before he was born.

In an event defined by pressure and collapse, Shaidorov was the exception. While the Quad God proved mortal, a new champion emerged - steady, unshaken, and golden.

Flashscore: Kazakhstan's Shaidorov wins men's figure skating gold as favourite Malinin falters

Kazakhstan's ⁠Mikhail Shaidorov emerged as the shock winner of the men's figure skating gold medal at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Friday as heavy favourite American Ilia Malinin suffered multiple falls in a ⁠stunning upset, Flashscore reports.

Japan's Yuma Kagiyama took silver and countryman Shun Sato captured bronze on a night when many top skaters ⁠struggled to execute their jumps. "I blew it," Malinin told NBC after finishing a shocking eighth.

"That's honestly the first thing that came to my mind. There's no way that just happened. I was preparing the whole season and was so confident in my programme, so confident with everything. I have no words really."

Grand Pinnacle Tribune: Mikhail Shaidorov stuns field with Olympic figure skating gold

According to Grand Pinnacle Tribune, the men’s figure skating final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics was meant to crown a king. Instead, it unveiled one.

Mikhail Shaidorov, the 21-year-old from Kazakhstan, skated last among the contenders with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Sixth after the short program, he delivered a flawless free skate packed with five quadruple jumps, calm and assured as rivals unraveled around him. His 291.58 points secured Kazakhstan’s first Winter Olympic gold in 32 years.

“It was very surprising,” Shaidorov said afterward. “(Malinin is) very important for figure skating.”

While Ilia Malinin faltered, abandoning his quad Axel and falling twice, Shaidorov kept his nerve. Even a slight slip on a quad lutz did not shake him. Of the final six skaters, five fell. Shaidorov did not.

When the scores confirmed it, history followed. A nation that had waited decades had its champion. In a night defined by pressure and collapse, Shaidorov’s composure proved decisive, a breakthrough performance that transformed an outside contender into an Olympic gold medalist.

The New York Times: Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov - delivering the skate of his life - shocks the world with gold

The skater no one saw coming leapt onto the podium, hands raised high, brown hair flying and braces flashing as the crowd roared, The New York Times reports. Mikhail Shaidorov had just delivered one of the biggest upsets in Olympic figure skating history.

The 21-year-old from Kazakhstan stunned the field at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, winning gold in men’s figure skating and toppling heavy favorite Ilia Malinin. It was Kazakhstan’s first medal of these Games and its first in 32 years.

“I just wanted to enjoy my free skate,” Shaidorov said.

He did more than that. Fifth after the short program, he soared to a career best 291.58 with a near flawless routine to “Confessa” and “The Diva Dance,” the only one of the final six who did not fall. When Yuma Kagiyama faltered and Malinin’s score came in short, Shaidorov stood stunned, hands over his face.

“I watched him skate from the locker room and I’m just so proud of him,” Malinin said. “We’re like a big family.”

Wrapped in his flag, Shaidorov celebrated long after the arena emptied. “It was my goal,” he said.

The Washington Post: Mikhail Shaidorov was everything Ilia Malinin wasn’t for one night

A floppy-haired skater with stratospheric hang time and a mission to lift his country’s profile seized Olympic gold Friday, The Washington Post reports. It was not Ilia Malinin. It was Mikhail Shaidorov.

The 21-year-old Kazakh arrived as a reigning world silver medalist yet remained overlooked. He left as his nation’s first Olympic champion in figure skating. Put some respect on Shaidorov’s name. His victory is deserving.

Skating with speed and conviction, he landed five soaring quadruple jumps and unveiled his signature opening combination, a triple Axel into a quadruple salchow. The rare sequence earned more than 21 points, the highest scoring combination of the Games by anyone not named Malinin. His program built momentum instead of losing it. Even minor technical imperfections did not matter on a night when others faltered.

Shaidorov’s composure echoed that of his coach, Alexei Urmanov, the 1994 Olympic champion who also triumphed when favorites failed. History repeated itself. While the final group struggled, Shaidorov stood firm.

He capitalized when it counted and transformed from afterthought to champion. For Kazakhstan, it was a breakthrough decades in the making. For Shaidorov, it was the performance of a lifetime.

Barron’s: 'Nothing is impossible': Shaidorov shocks favourite Malinin to make history

Mikhail Shaidorov said his Olympic gold proved “nothing is impossible” after stunning American star Ilia Malinin to make history for Kazakhstan, Barron’s reports.

Fifth after the short program, the 21-year-old produced a technically brilliant free skate, landing five quads and a huge opening triple Axel-Euler-quadruple Salchow combination to seize gold. Malinin, unbeaten for more than two years, fell twice, struggled through the free skate and dropped to eighth overall.

Surprised by his victory, Shaidorov paid tribute to his rival. “He is very important for figure skating, he is the best skater in history. I still can’t believe I’m an Olympic champion.”

“When I was watching Ilia skating I was surprised because usually he’s exceptional and I don’t know what exactly happened,” he said. “I was rooting for him. When you’re nervous you can make mistakes, as they say in figure skating the ice is slippery.”

Skating to “The Diva Dance,” he earned personal bests of 198.64 and 291.58, then collapsed in relief. “I felt relieved this incredible pressure was gone. I did everything I could.”

He praised Denis Ten, saying, “He opened the door for us. I hope this medal will open the door for skaters from Kazakhstan to know the sky is the limit.”

Kyodo News: Olympics: Kagiyama 2nd, Sato 3rd as Shaidorov stuns figure skating world

Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama claimed his second straight Olympic silver, while compatriot Shun Sato took bronze as Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov delivered a stunning upset to win gold at the Milano Cortina Winter Games, Kyodo News reports.

The shock followed a collapse from American favorite Ilia Malinin, who faltered repeatedly in the free skate. Shaidorov, fifth after the short program, soared to career bests of 198.64 in the free skate and 291.58 overall to become Kazakhstan’s first Olympic figure skating champion.

Malinin, a two-time world champion, managed just 156.33 in the segment and fell to eighth. “The pressure of the Olympics really gets you,” he said. “People say that there’s an Olympic curse.”

Kagiyama stumbled early but did enough to secure silver with 280.06 total. “I’ve got mixed emotions,” he said. “I’m disappointed with the way I performed but got through it.”

Sato surged from ninth after the short program with the third best free skate. “I’m lost for words,” he said. “I’m glad I gave it my all.”

The Economic Times: Who is Mikhail Shaidorov? Meet Kazakhstan’s first Winter Olympic champion in 32 years

According to The Economic Times, the men’s free skate at the 2026 Winter Olympics was supposed to belong to Ilia Malinin. Instead, it became the defining moment of Mikhail Shaidorov, a 21-year-old from Almaty who delivered the performance of his life to claim Kazakhstan’s first Olympic figure skating gold.

Shaidorov landed five quadruple jumps, scoring 198.64 in the free skate and 291.58 overall. Malinin, the heavy favorite, fell twice and finished eighth. Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama took silver and Shun Sato bronze.

Born in Almaty in 2004, Shaidorov began skating in 2010 and represents the Altynalmas club. He trains in Almaty and Sochi under 1994 Olympic champion Alexei Urmanov. Known as a technical innovator, he became the first skater to land a triple Axel quadruple toe loop combination at the 2024 Grand Prix de France and later a triple Axel-Euler-quadruple Salchow combination at the 2024 ISU Grand Prix Final.

Inspired by two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu, Shaidorov’s triumph ends a 32-year Winter Olympic gold drought for Kazakhstan and marks a historic breakthrough for the sport in his country.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported 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.