Mikhail Shaidorov's victory in the men's figure skating final at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday clinched Kazakhstan's maiden gold medal in the sport, as well as the country's first title in any discipline at the Games in 32 years.

During an interview with CGTN Sports Scene's Greg Laffradi, the 21-year-old shared what the honor means to him.

Shaidorov revealed that he had only slept a little in the two days following his breakthrough victory, partly because he felt so proud after achieving such a monumental success for his nation.

The figure skater said seeing the Olympic logo ignited his internal energy, adding that he went to Milan to enjoy the Games and made every effort to do his best, while trying not to be distracted by nerves. In the end, he reached the top of the podium, making his country proud.

Although Shaidorov and the other figure skaters were competitors in the ice rink, he also sympathized with them while watching their performances, because he knew how much they had to go through to qualify for the Winter Olympics.

Shaidorov recalled winning his first major medal in China, where he was impressed by the passion of the fans and the nation's unique culture. He also expressed his gratitude to Chinese supporters.

The Olympic champion hopes that his story can inspire more children in Kazakhstan to take up figure skating, noting that contributing to the development of the sport in his country has become a main goal in his career.