Mikhail Shaidorov scripted history by winning gold in men’s figure skating at the Milano Cortina 2026, securing Kazakhstan’s second Winter Olympic title as an independent nation and its first-ever Olympic gold in figure skating.

Shaidorov stood fifth after the short program with 92.94 points but produced a sensational free skate, scoring 198.64 to finish with a total of 291.58 points. His program featured five quadruple jumps, a high-risk layout he had failed to land successfully earlier in the season, but delivered flawlessly on the biggest stage.

Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama took silver with 280.06 points, while compatriot Shun Sato claimed bronze with 274.90.

The gold marks Kazakhstan’s best-ever Olympic result in figure skating, surpassing the bronze won by Denis Ten at Sochi 2014. The nation’s only previous Winter Olympic gold came in 1994 through cross-country skier Vladimir Smirnov. Overwhelmed after his victory, Shaidorov said he dedicated the medal to Kazakhstan and to the memory of Denis Ten, crediting him for paving the way for future generations.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Shaidorov and awarded him the Order of Barys, calling the triumph a landmark moment for Kazakh sport.