Kazakhstan, a Central Asian nation home to over 20 million people, had secured 17 Olympic gold medals in the time since it gained independence from the Soviet Union following its dissolution in 1991. Only one of those had been won at the Winter Olympics.
On Friday evening, Mikhail Shaidorov made it two.
The 21-year-old Kazakhstani did what no one has done since Nov. 5, 2023. He defeated U.S. star Ilia Malinin. And he won Olympic gold.
Shaidorov sat under the lights of the Milano Ice Skate Arena in the honorary leader's chair, stoically watching on as skater after skater fell. Even as his coach, 1994 Olympic figure skating champion Aleksey Urmanov, embraced him when it was certain he would finish on the podium, Shaidorov kept his composure. It wasn't until Malinin's score was announced that the realization sunk in: He would be the new Olympic champion.
For a country that only three decades ago was fighting to establish itself in international sport, the image of a Kazakhstani man atop the Olympic podium in figure skating felt improbable. And yet, improbable has long been the country’s motivation.
Prior to 2010, only one singles skater had skated for Kazakhstan at the Olympic Games: Yuri Litvinov, who represented the country at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
"When I competed, the goal was simply to put Kazakhstan on the map in figure skating and show that our country belongs in this sport," Litvinov said in an email. "To see Mikhail win Olympic gold feels like the continuation of that journey. It shows that the foundation built over many years by athletes, coaches, and supporters has led to something historic. It is not only a personal moment of pride, but also a proud moment for the entire country."
When Litvinov was coming up in the 1990s, Kazakhstan was a young nation. The Soviet sports machine that once fed its athletes state-of-the-art infrastructure and elite coaching had splintered. Funding was scarce, as was ice time.
“We were pioneers with limited infrastructure and experience,” Litvinov said.
Training often required improvisation and travel. For a short period, Litvinov trained in Yekaterinburg, Russia, alongside Roman Skornyakov and Tatiana Malinina — Malinin's parents and fellow skaters from a country with few skating resources (Skornyakov and Malinina represented Uzbekistan). He saw firsthand how talent alone would not sustain them.
"That experience showed me how important the right environment and knowledge are," Litvinov said. "Seeing Mikhail succeed now confirms that Kazakhstan can produce champions when talent is combined with the right support."
Skaters that came from small countries with even smaller skating federations were at a disadvantage in international competition. What they lacked in institutional support, Litvinov explained, they made up for with grit and determination.
"Even though our resources were very limited — less ice time, basic equipment, little funding, and far fewer support systems like sports science or choreography — we developed a strong technical foundation, mental toughness, and deep internal motivation," Litvinov said. "What truly made the difference was that inner drive to improve, even without perfect conditions. It shaped who we became as athletes and as people."
In 2008, that inner drive finally gave way to results. At just 15 years old, reigning Kazakhstan national champion Abzal Rakimgaliev became the first Kazakhstani men’s singles skater to skate at the world championships. A little over six months later, at the 2008-09 ISU Junior Grand Prix competition in Gomel, Belarus, Denis Ten became the first Kazakhstani skater to win an ISU event. The win opened a floodgate of firsts for Ten as he became the first skater from Kazakhstan to stand on the podium at the World Championships, Four Continents Championships, and Asian Winter Games — the latter two of which he won. For the first time, Kazakhstan saw one of its own contending rather than merely competing.
"At that time, our country did not yet have an established presence in men’s figure skating at the highest international level," Rakimgaliev said in an email. "Stepping onto that ice was about introducing Kazakhstan to the world stage in a new way. Success was not only personal, it was national. Each win and medal helped build credibility for Kazakhstan within the international figure skating community."
Rakimgaliev and Ten represented Kazakhstan together on the international stage, their careers unfolding in tandem as they went from junior competitions all the way to the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. Competing against one another while sharing training facilities initiated a healthy competitiveness between the two, the likes of which was new to Kazakhstan given that the country had never had a men's singles skater consistently compete at the Olympics, much less two.
"When one of us progressed technically or artistically, it raised expectations for the other," Rakimgaliev said. "That healthy rivalry helped elevate men’s figure skating in our country."
Ten's crowning achievement arrived at the Sochi Winter Olympics when he captured bronze, outskating the likes of Javier Fernandez (ESP) and Daisuke Takahashi (JPN) to become the first Kazakhstani skater to win an Olympic medal in figure skating.
Ten, Rakimgaliev said, “did not just win medals; he changed what people believed was possible.” His Olympic success gave the sport national visibility and legitimacy in Kazakhstan. While the sport was already growing prior to Ten's Olympic medal, his success garnered more attention from figure skating clubs and coaches. Parents who once might have steered children toward more established sports began to consider skating. Public ice sessions quickly became one of the most popular weekend outings in the country as the sport's popularity translated into high demand for more resources that would allow young skaters to follow in Ten's footsteps.
"Suddenly, figure skating was not a niche discipline," Rakimgaliev said. "It was something the entire country followed with pride."
Ten once said his dream was to see a Kazakhstan national figure skating team on the world stage, competing in international competitions and supporting each other in ways he never had. It is tragically unfortunate that he passed away from a fatal stab wound sustained during a robbery on July 19, 2018, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, before that dream ever became a reality.
"[Denis] inspired fellow athletes and coaches to raise their expectations and push for higher levels of performance," Rakimgaliev said. "Denis showed that with talent, hard work, and dedication, Kazakhstani skaters could compete with the best in the world, and that left a lasting mark on the culture and reputation of the sport in Kazakhstan."
Ten's legacy is reflected in the structural and societal changes made within the Kazakhstani figure skating community. Where once ice rinks were concentrated in a handful of major cities, new facilities that opened across the country offer more opportunities for younger skaters. International competitions are followed closely as participation in youth and beginner level programs has grown. “Each time I visit, the rinks are full of enthusiastic young skaters, eager to learn and improve," Rakimgaliev, who coaches and consults abroad but regularly returns to Kazakhstan, said.
Progress remains steadfast, but growth isn't linear. Although access to ice has increased, the quality and availability of ice time hinders progress. According to Litvinov, focus on structured long-term athlete development and consistent funding are necessary for Kazakhstan to continue its upwards trajectory in the figure skating world. “Success cannot depend on individual talent alone,” Litvinov said. “It must be supported.”
Quads, the four revolution jumps that now dominate men’s skating, are necessary, he acknowledged, but only if built on strong fundamentals like quality edge control, efficient rotation, and correct jump technique. Without that base, ambition collapses. "When you combine that old-school mindset with modern resources and knowledge, you create the environment where an Olympian can emerge," Litvinov said.
Shaidorov’s skating, Litvinov believes, reflects that maturation. “His jumps are powerful but controlled,” he said. “He maintains strong body alignment and efficiency in the air. His skating skills and edge quality have improved a lot, which allows him to generate speed with less effort and stay fresh throughout the program.”
Malinin, too, has strong jump technique, which showed in his strong short program showing. Known as the 'Quad God,' Malinin is capable of performing up to seven quad jumps in one program, including the once thought impossible quad axel.
Composure, a quality Litvinov said is the most important to have at the Olympic level, made all the difference in Friday's free skate. On Olympic ice, Shaidorov's ability to perform under pressure put him above Malinin, who later admitted he "was not ready" to handle the weight of expectation on his shoulders.
Shaidorov's triumph made waves in Kazakhstan, with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kazakhstan, promising to award him the Barys Ordeni, a state award in Kazakhstan given to individuals for exceptional service to their country. For Rakimgaliev, who often consulted Shaidorov as a junior when he attended his training camps in Bergamo, Italy, seeing the 21-year-old claim Olympic glory is a full-circle moment.
I was moved to tears when Mikhail won gold.
"It’s a victory for Kazakhstan, a moment that every skater, coach, and fan of our sport can share in and celebrate. To see our country reach the very top of the Olympic podium in men’s figure skating fills me with pride and joy. Reflecting on how far the sport has come here, and seeing it realized in such a historic moment, is unforgettable."
According to Rakimgaliev, Shaidorov's Olympic gold sets a new standard of excellence for Kazakhstani skaters. To be the best in the world, they need to beat the best in the world. Countries such as Japan and the United States — skating powerhouses with deep talent pools and many resources — remain formidable. Kazakhstan’s advantage, Litvinov suggested, lies in the stubbornness of athletes accustomed to building from less. The goal now is not a solitary champion but a generation that can consistently challenge the top-ranked skaters, as Ten once dreamed.
"Young athletes now have a tangible example of what is possible, someone they can look up to not just for skill, but for work ethic, composure, and resilience," Rakimgaliev said. "I believe it will inspire them to train harder, dream bigger, and approach their own careers with ambition and confidence."