Arsen Tomsky, founder and CEO of inDrive and one of the richest people in Kazakhstan, has presented a brand-new Audi Q8 to Stanislav Shaidorov, the father and first coach of Kazakh Olympic figure skating champion Mikhail Shaidorov.
The black car was decorated with a white inscription reading «Thank you for the champion! From all Kazakhstanis,» written in Kazakh and Russian. The message refers to the fact that the father once sold his car to support his son’s passion.
According to Tomsky, who met with the athlete’s family in person, the gift is a tribute to the parents’ hard work and self-sacrifice behind Mikhail’s major victory.
For the businessman, the Shaidorov family’s story is particularly close to his heart.
«Many years ago, I also sold my car to pay my team during a difficult time,» Tomsky said, adding that he later did the same to help the national team from Yakutia attend an eSports championship. «Behind every champion is someone who once said, ‘I believe in you.’ Great victories always begin with faith,» he emphasized.
About the donor
Arsen Tomsky is an international tech entrepreneur from Yakutsk, Russia, who scaled the local startup inDrive into a global unicorn headquartered in the U.S. The company operates using a peer-to-peer model in dozens of countries worldwide.
Tomsky holds Kazakhstani citizenship and is known for his philanthropic activities. He develops non-profit initiatives such as Sinet Spark and inVision, which support education, science and sports. According to Forbes Kazakhstan, Tomsky ranks as the 11th-richest businessman in the country, with an estimated net worth of $850 million, and is listed among its most influential entrepreneurs.
Mikhail Shaidorov made history in February 2026 by becoming an Olympic champion at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. His victory brought Kazakhstan its first-ever gold medal in figure skating and its first Winter Olympic gold medal since 1994.
