When Mikhail Shaidorov entered the 2026 Winter Olympics, few expected him to win gold, as Ilia Malinin was tipped to claim the title. But after Malinin faltered under pressure, Shaidorov delivered the performance of his life, scoring 291.58 points to secure Olympic gold for Kazakhstan. Following his historic victory, Shaidorov took a break from major competition to recover from burnout. Nearly eight months later, he returned at the Grand Prix de France in Angers, hoping to build on his Olympic success. However, his comeback did not go as planned.

Shaidorov’s struggles began in the short program on Saturday, October 24, when he fell on his opening jump combination and put a hand down on his next jump. He scored 80.25 points but still finished fourth heading into Sunday’s free skate.

The second day proved even more difficult. Shaidorov fell twice during his free skate, including on a quadruple toe loop, and under-rotated his other three quadruple jumps. His free-skate score of 126.30 points was the 11th-best among the 12 competitors, dropping him from fourth to 10th in the final standings. He finished with 206.55 points, a result that stood in stark contrast to his Olympic triumph earlier in the year.

While Shaidorov struggled, France’s Adam Siao Him Fa made the most of competing on home ice. He built a commanding lead in the short program with 102.46 points before landing three quadruple jumps in the free skate to finish with 284.24 points and claim gold. Japan’s Kao Miura took silver with 247.96 points, while South Korea’s Seo Min-kyu earned bronze with 244.90 points. 

Following the event, Shaidorov addressed his disappointing performance in an Instagram message, thanking fans for standing by him through both victories and defeats. “It’s hard to find the words after such a start. Things don’t always go as we’d hoped. The ice is slippery. I see your worries, read your messages, and am very grateful to everyone for their support. Thank you for sharing not only my victories but also my defeats, because they’re part of the journey too. I promise not to give up and to come back stronger. Thank you all!” he wrote.

Shaidorov had already skipped the 2026 World Championships following his Olympic triumph, taking time away from major competition to recover from burnout after a demanding schedule. But that raises a question: why did the Olympic champion need such a long break, and how did he fare when he finally returned?

Why Mikhail Shaidorov took a long break after his historic Olympic gold

At the Milano-Cortina Olympics on February 13, Shaidorov entered the men’s free skate in fifth place, while Ilia Malinin was widely expected to claim gold. Malinin had won 14 consecutive competitions and led after the short program, but his free skate fell apart. He turned his planned quadruple Axel into a single Axel, fell twice and finished eighth overall.

Shaidorov, meanwhile, delivered the performance of his career. He scored 198.64 points in the free skate, bringing his total to 291.58 and securing Kazakhstan’s first Olympic gold medal in men’s figure skating. Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama won silver with 280.06 points, while Shun Sato took bronze with 274.90. Even Shaidorov had not expected to win gold. He had considered bronze a realistic target if he managed a clean performance.

However, the Olympic victory came after an exhausting stretch of competition. On February 26, Kazakhstan’s figure skating authorities confirmed that Shaidorov would miss the World Championships in Prague, scheduled for March 23 to 29, to recover from burnout and accumulated fatigue.

Assem Kassanova, head coach of Kazakhstan’s figure skating team, explained that Shaidorov had competed in 10 major international events between January 2025 and February 2026. His schedule included the World Championships, Four Continents Championships, Asian Games, Grand Prix events and the Winter Olympics. According to Kassanova, the demanding schedule had taken a toll on him both physically and mentally, making recovery and rehabilitation a priority.

Shaidorov eventually returned to competition at the 34th Nepela Memorial in Bratislava, Slovakia, held from September 24 to 27. He finished third with 272.75 points, offering an encouraging start after his extended break. However, his next outing brought a very different result.