Looking back, 21-year-old figure skater from Almaty Mikhail Shaidorov said he could not believe he became an Olympic champion until the last minute, Qazinform News Agency reports.

Shaidorov reflects on taking home first Kazakhstani gold medal of 2026 Winter Olympics Photo credit: Sali Sabyrov

Speaking on his triumph at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Shaidorov said that the current season is a challenging one for him, as he had to make changes to his short program in the mid-season, and increase the difficulty of his free program a day before the Olympic final.

Mikhail Shaidorov: The spectacular skating triumph on the ...

I honestly couldn’t believe it, said Shaidorov. “Throughout the season, I’ve been battling myself. It was a tough season”.

I attempted five quadruple jumps in competitions like about three times and always failed. It all came together today, and I did my best, he added.

“It has been a five-year journey to these Olympic Games, and during the whole season I just wanted to do my job at the Olympic Games, and I did it today.”

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I would like to dedicate this competition, this medal to entire Kazakhstan, added Olympic champion Mikhail Shaidorov.

Previously, Qazinform 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