Kazakhstani figure skater who won his country's first-ever Olympic figure skating medal in 2014, before his tragic death at 25 following a robbery attempt.
Denis Ten was born on 13 June 1993 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, of Korean heritage, and moved to Moscow in 2004 to train under former World medalist Elena Vodorezova. In 2008-09, he became the first skater from Kazakhstan to win an International Skating Union competition, and went on to become the first Kazakhstani to reach the podium at the World Championships, Four Continents Championships, Asian Winter Games and the Olympics. After moving to California to train under coach Frank Carroll, Ten enjoyed the finest results of his career, winning World Championship silver in 2013 in London and the 2015 Four Continents Championship. His crowning achievement came at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where he placed third in the free skate to win bronze, becoming Kazakhstan's first-ever Olympic medal in figure skating. Ten competed at his third Olympics in 2018 in PyeongChang, proud to skate in the birthplace of his Korean ancestors despite injuries limiting his performance. On 19 July 2018, he was fatally stabbed in Almaty at age 25 after confronting two men attempting to steal mirrors from his car, dying in hospital from severe blood loss; his killers were later sentenced to 18 years in prison. His death prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the skating world, and when Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov won the country's first Winter Olympic gold in any sport in 2026, he dedicated the victory to Ten, saying 'he paved the road for us.'
Winning Kazakhstan's first-ever Olympic figure skating medal in 2014, before his tragic death at 25
How They Played
Elegant, technically accomplished skater known for consistent triple jump content including the triple Axel, and graceful artistic presentation
Lasting Impact
Remembered as a pioneering figure who put Kazakhstani figure skating on the world map, honored by a memorial in Almaty and an annual competition in his name
Career Honours
- 2014 Olympic Bronze Medal (Kazakhstan's first-ever figure skating medal)
- 2013 World Championship Silver Medal
- 2015 Four Continents Champion
- 8x Kazakhstani National Champion