Winter Olympics 2026: Who is Mikhail Shaidorov? Top facts to know about Olympic figure skating champion
The figure skating world woke up to a new men’s singles Olympic champion on 14 February. Mikhail Shaidorov, the dark horse of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, stunned audiences by delivering two dazzling performances, earning Kazakhstan its first gold medal in figure skating and its first gold at an Olympic Winter Games since 1994.
At just 21 years old, Shaidorov already holds the title of world silver medallist and 2025 Four Continents champion, although he entered the Tokyo Games following an inconsistent season. Now, propelled into the limelight, he has made headlines for himself and his nation.
Born into a skating family, Shaidorov took his first steps on the ice at six, inspired by his father, Stanislav, a multi-national figure skating champion. Initially reluctant, he tried artistic gymnastics for a year before committing wholeheartedly to skating. Yuzuru Hanyu, a two-time Olympic champion, has served as his major inspiration since 2015, driving him to blend technical expertise with artistry—a vision he cherishes for men’s figure skating.
Shaidorov’s cherished honorific is the legacy he carries from the late Kazakh legend Denis Ten, who tragically passed away in 2018. Shaidorov credits Ten with paving the way for Kazakh skaters and expresses his determination to honor that legacy by contributing to the growth of the sport in his country.
Besides his artistic flair, Shaidorov is a trendsetter in technique, having landed the first-ever triple Axel-quad toe combination in competition back in November 2024. As he competes, he sees himself not only as an athlete but also as a burgeoning ambassador for figure skating in Kazakhstan.
