Yagudin calls Shaidorov's Olympic gold fully deserved after clean skate

September 3, 2026 at 11:40 AM2 min

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Alexei Yagudin said Mikhail Shaidorov's Olympic gold was fully deserved after the Kazakh skater delivered the cleanest tournament among contenders. Shaidorov won the men's event at the 2026 Olympics with 291.58 points, rising from fifth after the short program. His victory marked Kazakhstan's first Olympic figure skating gold and first Winter Games gold in 32 years.

Key Facts

Mikhail Shaidorov won the men's figure skating event at the 2026 Olympics with 291.58 points, the best result of his season.
Shaidorov was fifth after the short program but moved to first after a clean free skate, while leader Ilia Malinin dropped to eighth.
The gold was Kazakhstan's first Olympic figure skating medal and the country's first Winter Games gold in 32 years.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev awarded Shaidorov the Order of Barys, II degree, after the Olympics.
Shaidorov skipped the World Championships in Prague due to high physical and psychological load after competing in ten major international tournaments since January 2025.

Yagudin's Assessment

Alexei Yagudin said he fully agreed with Shaidorov's victory, calling it absolutely deserved Olympic gold. Yagudin noted that Shaidorov had the cleanest tournament compared to other skaters, while rivals who led after the short program fell to eighth place and beyond. He quoted Shaidorov as saying, 'Everything just came together at the right moment.'

Competition Outcome

Shaidorov scored 291.58 points to win the men's event at the 2026 Olympics. He was fifth after the short program but delivered a clean free skate to take first place. American Ilia Malinin, the leader after the short program, finished eighth after making mistakes.

Aftermath and Recognition

The victory was Kazakhstan's first Olympic figure skating gold and first Winter Games gold in 32 years. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev later awarded Shaidorov the Order of Barys, II degree. Shaidorov missed the World Championships in Prague due to high physical and psychological load. The national team said the decision to rest him was made jointly by the coaching staff and medical specialists after he competed in ten major international tournaments since January 2025.