17 February 2014 | 11:48

Olympics: Denis Ten wins 1st medal for Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s 20-y.o. Denis Ten has climbed from 9th line after the short program to the Olympic bronze in the men's free skating at the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi, Russia, Tengrinews reports. Figure-skater Denis Ten gained the first medal for Kazakhstan at the Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi, scoring 255.10 points. Japanese Yuzuru Hanyu, 19, took the gold despite falling twice in the free skate and earned a total of 280.09 points for his performance. This was the first gold for Japan. Three-time world champion Patrick Chan from Canada took silver after stumbling through Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" and "Concerto Grosso" with a total of 275.62. "I'm not the youngest any more. That's the main difference. And I went into Vancouver with no pressure. This time, I came in with a world silver, so I had pressure coming in. This is a gift to my compatriots and to my country. I hope it's not the highest achievement in my life." said Ten. It is the second Olympics for Ten who was 11th in Vancouver.
Kazakhstan athletes also competed in biathlon, ski racing, alpine skiing, aerials and ski jumping, but have won no more medals so far. Freestyler Zhanbota Aldabergenova entered the best Top 6 of the aerials and Zhibek Arapbayeva won took the 19th place. Skier Alexei Poltoranin of Kazakhstan finished the men’s 15km classic race in the 9th place. Other Kazakhstan’s skiers Nikolai Chebotko became 33rd, Yevgeny Velichko completed the race in the 34th place and Yerdos Akhmadiyev was the 54th line. Biathletes Darya Usanova, Galina Vishnevskaya, Yelena Chrustaleva and Alina Raikova won the 40th, 41st, 47th and 65th places respectively. Mountain skier Igor Zakurdayev made it into the Top 30 of alpine skiing finishing the competition in the 25th place and Martin Khuber got the 32nd position.

Kazakhstan’s 20-y.o. Denis Ten has climbed from 9th line after the short program to the Olympic bronze in the men's free skating at the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi, Russia, Tengrinews reports. Figure-skater Denis Ten gained the first medal for Kazakhstan at the Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi, scoring 255.10 points. Japanese Yuzuru Hanyu, 19, took the gold despite falling twice in the free skate and earned a total of 280.09 points for his performance. This was the first gold for Japan. Three-time world champion Patrick Chan from Canada took silver after stumbling through Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" and "Concerto Grosso" with a total of 275.62. "I'm not the youngest any more. That's the main difference. And I went into Vancouver with no pressure. This time, I came in with a world silver, so I had pressure coming in. This is a gift to my compatriots and to my country. I hope it's not the highest achievement in my life." said Ten. It is the second Olympics for Ten who was 11th in Vancouver.

Kazakhstan athletes also competed in biathlon, ski racing, alpine skiing, aerials and ski jumping, but have won no more medals so far. Freestyler Zhanbota Aldabergenova entered the best Top 6 of the aerials and Zhibek Arapbayeva won took the 19th place. Skier Alexei Poltoranin of Kazakhstan finished the men’s 15km classic race in the 9th place. Other Kazakhstan’s skiers Nikolai Chebotko became 33rd, Yevgeny Velichko completed the race in the 34th place and Yerdos Akhmadiyev was the 54th line. Biathletes Darya Usanova, Galina Vishnevskaya, Yelena Chrustaleva and Alina Raikova won the 40th, 41st, 47th and 65th places respectively. Mountain skier Igor Zakurdayev made it into the Top 30 of alpine skiing finishing the competition in the 25th place and Martin Khuber got the 32nd position.

Sport Sochi skating Russia Olympic news Kazakhstan Kazakh Denis Ten