Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov delivered a sensation at the 2026 Winter Olympics after winning the title in men's figure skating. The big favorite - two-time world champion Ilya Malinin (pictured) - could not stand the pressure and made serious mistakes in his free program, BTA reports. Shaidorov, who was fifth after the short program, started his performance with an impressive combination of a triple Axel and a quadruple Salchow. “I had set this goal for myself even before the Olympics. I wanted to enjoy skating and show what I had learned over the years. The first combination is my trademark, but so far I have often failed to do it. Tonight everything worked out“, said the new Olympic champion.
After the end of the competition, Malinin hugged the winner. "I told him it was an honor to share the ice with him. Usually his skates are impeccable, but the ice is slippery and sometimes unexpected things happen," Shaidorov added.
The gold medal has a special meaning for Kazakhstan - it is the country's first Olympic title in figure skating and only the second in its history in this sport.
The great inspiration for generations of Kazakh skaters remains Denis Ten, bronze medalist at the 2014 Olympics. He tragically died in 2018 in Almaty - a loss that shook the world figure skating community.
“Denis influenced all of us. He paved the way for young competitors, including me. "I hope this medal will inspire a new generation of children in Kazakhstan," the champion said.
The evening was a tough test for Malinin. The American completed only three of his planned seven quadruple jumps, fell twice and finished eighth in the final standings - an unexpected end to more than two years of dominance.
"I was extremely nervous. Maybe the ice conditions weren't ideal, but that's no excuse. We're all on equal terms. A lot of negative thoughts came into my head and I couldn't handle it," he admitted to the media.
Just two months earlier, the 21-year-old American had impressed the world at the Grand Prix final, where he landed seven quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, and broke his own world record for the free skate.
"Being the favorite for Olympic gold is a huge burden, especially at this age. The Olympics are something different – the pressure is incomparable“, Malinin added.
Among the spectators was gymnastics legend Simone Biles, who applauded him after his performance.
After the competition, the American congratulated Shaidorov personally. “I was proud of him. I heard that his season was not easy, and now he has achieved something incredible“, he said.
Despite the disappointment, Malinin is looking ahead: “This is a lesson. I can't turn back time, but I can decide how to continue from here. I have to regroup and find the right path forward.“