President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hosted a ceremony at the Akorda Presidential Palace honoring Olympic gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov and his coaching team, as per to the Akorda press service.
During the event, the president emphasized that the development of mass and professional sports is a priority of national policy and that the state will create necessary conditions to support athletes and sports institutions across the country. He noted that Olympic results serve as an important measure of national progress, with Kazakhstan ranking 25th by the number of athletes participating in the XXV Winter Olympic Games.
President Tokayev highlighted that Kazakhstani athletes achieved Top 10 rankings in several competitions, which he described as a foundation for future achievements. He also pointed to the country’s broader international successes in sports, academic competitions, and arts as indicators of steady national development.
The president encouraged athletes in preparation for upcoming events, including the Winter Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and the 2029 Winter Asian Games in Almaty, noting that these events should be organized and prepared at the highest level.
At the ceremony, Mikhail Shaidorov was awarded the Barys Order, II Degree, for his performance at the XXV Winter Olympic Games. Coaching and support staff were also recognized: coach-consultant Alexey Urmanov received the Dostyk Order, II Degree; head coach of the national figure skating team Assem Kassanova, figure skating coach Stanislav Shaidorov, and president of the Kazakhstan Figure Skating Union Baurzhan Yeraly were awarded the Kurmet Order.
