In one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 Winter Olympics, Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov won the gold medal. The gold for Shaidorov was completely unexpected. This was Kazakhstan’s first medal of the Milan-Cortina Games.

Ilia Malinin stumbled under Olympic pressure as underdog Mikhail Shaidorov captured gold in a shocking Olympic men’s figure skating final at Milano-Cortina 2026.

ROME — Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov won gold in men’s figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy, delivering a decisive free skate to secure the country’s second Winter Olympic title as an independent nation and first Olympic gold in figure skating. His victory also marked Kazakhstan’s first Olympic gold in figure skating.

In a shocking twist at the 2026 Winter Olympics, American figure skater Ilia Malinin​ didn't make it to the podium after falling twice during the free skate. Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov took home the gold.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan's gold medal in men's free skate stunned everyone — including himself. Here's what he had to say. (AP photo)

Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov wins Olympic gold in men's figure skating, taking the podium with two Japan skaters after Ilia Malinin meltdown.

The American superstar handled his loss with grace.

Shaidorov completed one of the biggest upsets in figure skating history Friday night at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan achieved a historic Olympic figure skating gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, stunning the field with a career-best performance. He landed five quadruple jumps to secure the title,

ROME — The 2026 Winter Olympics opened Feb. 6 in Milan-Cortina, where Kazakhstan’s 36 athletes began competition across multiple disciplines. In the first week, the team secured several top-10 finishes and advanced through key qualification rounds as competition unfolded across Italy.

Things did not go according to plan for U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin in Friday’s men’s figure skating final. The 22-year-old entered the competition with high hopes and a lot of pressure on his shoulders.