Mikhail Shaidorov: “Inspired by Hanyu who was breaking world record after world record, I told myself that I would continue pursuing figure skating, striving to come even slightly closer to the level of triumph he achieved.”
Interview with Mikhail Shaidorov.
original source: STEPPE dd. March 10th 2025 by Ayana Seithan
In the interview with STEPPE, Mikhail Shaidorov speaks about his career, trainings and comparison with Denis Ten. Here’s a translation of his comments.
“Q: How did you first find yourself at the skating rink?
Mikhail Shaidorov: I was about five years old. My father took me to the rink at “Ramstore” — that’s where I started skating. At first, I didn’t like it and began doing gymnastics instead. But about a year and a half later, when I was around seven, I felt a strong desire to skate, so I returned to figure skating.
Q: Was it your decision to return, or did your parents encourage you?
Mikhail Shaidorov: At first, when I was five, my parents wanted me to try skating to see if I liked it or not. But when I turned seven, it was entirely my decision. I really wanted it — I had a strong desire to skate.
Q: Was there a particular skater you saw that inspired? Or was your decision unrelated to others?
Mikhail Shaidorov: At that time, it was probably just a natural decision. Of course, my father was a figure skater, and we often watched broadcasts, possibly even old competitions and Olympic Games. Figure skating was always a part of my life, but after I turned twelve, I began following competitions closely on my own and truly realized this was the path I wanted to take in life.
Q: Was there a particular competition that inspired your dedication to figure skating?
Mikhail Shaidorov: Yes, it was the Grand Prix series. At the time, Yuzuru Hanyu was competing, breaking world record after world record. Inspired by him, I told myself that I would continue pursuing figure skating, striving to come even slightly closer to the level of triumph he achieved.
Q: Do you remember your very first professional training session?
Mikhail Shaidorov: Every training session, in its own way, is professional. Even as a child, when my father was teaching me basic elements, it was already a serious level of preparation — though as a child, you don’t always realize it. Looking back now, I see how important those sessions were. Today, I train with professionals, and every session has its unique level of professionalism, but it’s always about contributing to growth.
Q: Was your father your first coach?
Mikhail Shaidorov: Yes. My father was a figure skater and a six-time national champion of Kazakhstan. He performed the same elements as Evgeni Plushenko and Alexei Yagudin in their time and participated in many shows across Europe and South America. Unfortunately, due to the [Soviet-era] “Perestroika,” he couldn’t compete in major competitions. Now it’s my turn, and I’m pursuing great heights alongside my father.
Q: How did you switch from training with your father to training with Alexei Urmanov?
Mikhail Shaidorov: We went to a training camp in Yoshkar-Ola that coincided with a coaching seminar. There, I joined a group where I trained with Alexei Yevgenyevich Urmanov. At the time, I was very physically weak and couldn’t even do much off the ice. But during that camp, I successfully landed a double axel for the first time, which was a big milestone for me. Within six months, I had mastered all the triple jumps and 3-3 combinations.
After that camp, I continued training with my father, but the facilities in Almaty weren’t sufficient — we practiced on outdoor rinks. I knew I wanted to develop further, so I asked my parents to help me find opportunities for more serious training. My father reached out to Alexei Yevgenyevich, and he invited us to come to Sochi. In 2018, we started working together, and I’ve been training under his guidance ever since.
Q: What was your first competition?
Mikhail Shaidorov: It was an exhibition at the “Ramstore” shopping center, where all the participants received medals just for participating. At the time, it felt very special and exciting to me.
Q: What about your first ISU-sanctioned competition?
Mikhail Shaidorov: I believe it was the Santa Claus Cup in Budapest in 2016. I finished ninth. It was my first international appearance, with new competitors and different judges — it was nerve-wracking.
Q: Do you ever feel nervous about the fact that Kazakhstan doesn’t have judges represented at international competitions?
Mikhail Shaidorov: No, I just go out and do what I can. How I’m judged is up to the judges. The main thing is to showcase my skills and continually improve with each performance.
Q: Was there a competition that became a turning point for you?
Mikhail Shaidorov: The Junior World Championships, where I finished in second place. Before the competition, I trained on a public skating rink, so I wasn’t able to prepare at the highest level. My physical form left much to be desired, but the key for me was to be mentally prepared and I succeeded in that. I delivered clean performances in both programs, earned high scores from the judges, and, alongside Ilia Malinin, achieved excellent results. I landed three quad jumps, and he landed four. None of the other participants attempted quads.
Q: What is your favorite quad jump?
Mikhail Shaidorov: Probably the toe loop. It’s the easiest for me, and you can play around with how it’s executed.
Q: Do you have ambitions to attempt the quad Axel?
Mikhail Shaidorov: No, I use a different technique for my axel — it’s more about distance. This allows me to perform more complex combinations. No matter how many times people tried to retrain me, I always insisted on doing it my way so that I could focus on combinations. Looking back, it seems like it was the right choice.
Q: After your victory in Seoul, you’ve been increasingly compared to Denis Ten, as it’s been exactly 10 years since his victory at the same competition. How do you feel about this comparison?
Mikhail Shaidorov: After the short program, I was in first place, and I happened to check Instagram. I saw a photo stating that exactly 10 years ago, Denis Ten had been the leader on the same arena. Of course, it put some pressure on me — realizing that Denis had won the Four Continents Championships there. It made me nervous heading into the free skate, but once my music began, the tension melted away, and I skated on autopilot, doing everything I could.
When people compare me to Denis, I understand that we’re different individuals. But the most important thing we share is the desire to develop figure skating in Kazakhstan. Many journalists from South Korea and China have told me that Denis always dreamed of seeing skaters emerge who could continue to represent Kazakhstan at a high level. I hope he would be proud of what I’m doing now.
Q: Have you ever thought about quitting the sport?
Mikhail Shaidorov: Never. Not even for a moment.
Q: Not even when your coach kicked you out of training?
Mikhail Shaidorov: A couple of times I was asked to leave practice, but these were rare occurrences compared to other athletes. There were tough moments when things didn’t go well or felt difficult, but the idea of quitting never crossed my mind.
Q: Is there an element that’s particularly challenging for you?
Mikhail Shaidorov: I wouldn’t say there’s an element I can’t do at all, but the quad loop is one of the hardest for me. Right now, it’s the most difficult jump in my arsenal, but I have a strong set of quads overall.
Q: Where do you train?
Mikhail Shaidorov: This season, I’ve spent most of my time training in Almaty. I haven’t been in Sochi much, but I’m now preparing for the World Championships in the U.S. My coach either visits me in person or works with me via video calls. My second coach, Ivan Righini, also comes to Almaty. Sometimes I travel to Moscow or Italy to work with Ivan or to Sochi with Alexei Yevgenyevich. We train wherever it’s most convenient at the time.”
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