ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s ski jumper Ilya Mizernykh delivered the best Olympic result in the country’s history, finishing eighth in the men’s large hill event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Feb. 15.
Ilya Mizernykh. Photo credit: National Olympic Committee/Turar Kazangapov.
Two athletes represented Kazakhstan in the competition’s final round. Mizernykh scored 281.6 points to place eighth among the world’s elite, while his teammate Danil Vasiliev finished 27th with 235.9 points, reported the National Olympic Committee.
Gold went to Slovenia’s Domen Prevc, who secured 301.8 points. Japan’s Ren Nikaido claimed silver with 295.0 points, while Poland’s Kacper Tomaszczak got bronze with 291.2 points.
Factors that affected the final standing
Speaking after the competition, Mizernykh said he was satisfied with his jumps but acknowledged there was a sense of missed opportunity. Reflecting on his historic finish for Kazakhstan, the athlete described the result as an important milestone, but not the final goal.
“A result is a result. And this is only the beginning. Everything is just starting, not only for me, but for the entire Kazakhstan national team,” Mizernykh said.
According to the athlete, technical nuances played a decisive role in the final ranking. He also pointed to weather conditions and small technical errors in the second jump.
“I lacked points earned at the World Cup. I was jumping under number 20 and had to start from two gates higher than those who jumped after me. That’s why I dropped eight positions. The landing also could have been better,” he said.
From Youth Olympics to the world’s biggest stage
Mizernykh previously won gold at the Youth Olympic Games in 2024, but emphasized that competing at the senior Olympics is an entirely different challenge. He added that experience matters more than age in ski jumping.
“In our sport, it doesn’t matter how old you are or how many titles you have. Experience is what counts. I’m still a junior, but I beat athletes over 30. The bronze medalist today is my age, 19,” he said.
