Kazakhstani figure skater Mikhail Shaidorov may receive another award following the Winter Olympics — the athlete’s costume was chosen among the best.
Shaidorov is among 16 candidates in the «Best Costume» category, which includes single skaters, pairs and ice dance duos. The Kazakhstani athlete is on the list for the costume featured in the free skating program of the 2025/26 season.
The ISU Figure Skating Awards also recognize «Most Entertaining Program» among 16 candidates, as well as «Best Choreographer» and «Best Coach,» with eight candidates in each category.
Public voting started on March 9 and is open until March 18. To support a skater, users must register on the International Skating Union website.
The costume was designed by Saken Zhaksybayev and Akmaral Zharaskyzy. The designers said they collaborated closely with Shaidorov’s team, his coach and the athlete himself to create the look.
«We prepared several sketches and submitted them for approval. One of the designs was almost immediately liked and turned out to be extremely close to the final image. In the costume, we tried to preserve the night-sky and cosmic theme. To achieve this, we used the ombré effect and hand-adorned it with rhinestones,» the designers told local Channel 7.
On Feb. 14, Shaidorov won gold at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy.
Previously, American figure skater Ilia Malinin was honored by the International Olympic Committee for his sportsmanship toward Shaidorov.
