American figure skater Ilia Malinin, who is often seen as a friendly rival to Kazakhstani gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov, has spoken about the possibility of visiting Kazakhstan.
In a short interview with the Jibek Joly channel, Malinin said that he would like to travel to Kazakhstan with Shaidorov or other athletes. He noted that it would be a great pleasure to do so and added that he often hears positive things about the country.
Malinin praised Shaidorov’s technical preparation and said it is «an honor to share the ice with him.» He also said that they are both working to take figure skating to another level.
Malinin is the son of figure skaters Roman Skorniakov and Tatiana Malinina, who competed for Uzbekistan.
Skorniakov held the Uzbek national champion title from 1997 to 2003. He represented Uzbekistan at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics, placing 19th at both events.
Malinina — a holder of multiple Grand Prix titles — represented Uzbekistan from 1993 to 2002. She also won a gold medal at the 1999 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.
At the recent 2026 Winter Olympics, Malinin finished eighth, despite being the main favorite going into the event. This year, Kazakhstan’s Shaidorov secured the gold medal.
