Denis Ten facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Denis Ten
Ten at the 2012 Rostelecom Cup
Personal information
Full name	Denis Yurievich Ten
Country represented	Kazakhstan
Born	(1993-06-13)13 June 1993 Almaty, Kazakhstan
Died	19 July 2018(2018-07-19) (aged 25) Almaty, Kazakhstan
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Coach	Frank Carroll, Nikolai Morozov
Former coach	Rafael Arutyunyan Elena Buianova Tatiana Tarasova
Choreographer	David Wilson
Former choreographer	Nikolai Morozov Stéphane Lambiel Lori Nichol Elena Buianova Tatiana Tarasova Irina Tagaeva Mikhail Pochitalin
Skating club	Kiyal Almaty
Training locations	El Segundo, California Almaty
Former training locations	Hackensack, New Jersey Novogorsk Moscow
Began skating	1998
World standing	31 (2017–18) 12 (2016–17) 3 (2015–16) 3 (2014–15) 5 (2013–14) 6 (2012–13) 16 (2011–12) 25 (2010–11) 18 (2009–10) 28 (2008–09) 81 (2007–08)
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	289.46 2015 Four Continents
Short program	97.61 2015 Four Continents
Free skate	191.85 2015 Four Continents
Medal record Representing  Kazakhstan Figure skating: Men's singles Olympic Games Bronze 2014 Sochi Men's singles World Championships Silver 2013 London Men's singles Bronze 2015 Shanghai Men's singles Four Continents Championships Gold 2015 Seoul Men's singles Winter Universiade Gold 2017 Almaty Men's singles Asian Winter Games Gold 2011 Astana-Almaty Men's singles

Denis Yurievich Ten (Kazakh: Денис Юрийұлы Тен; Russian: Денис Юрьевич Тен; 13 June 1993 – 19 July 2018) was an amazing Kazakhstani figure skater. He won a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. He also earned two medals at the World Championships (silver in 2013 and bronze in 2015). Denis was the champion of the 2015 Four Continents and the 2017 Winter Universiade. He was also a five-time national champion for Kazakhstan.

Denis was the first skater from Kazakhstan to win a medal at the World Championships, Four Continents Championships, Asian Winter Games, and the Olympic Games. In 2008, he made history by becoming the first skater from Kazakhstan to win an International Skating Union (ISU) competition. He also helped his country get two spots in the men's figure skating event at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

Denis was an official ambassador for the "Almaty 2022" Olympic bid. He was part of the Astana Presidential Sports Club. In 2013, he started his own ice show called "Denis Ten and Friends." In 2014, he began working with All That Sports, a management company started by famous skater Yuna Kim.

Sadly, Denis Ten passed away in July 2018 in Almaty after being attacked.

Denis Ten's Early Life

Denis Ten was born on June 13, 1993, in Almaty, Kazakhstan. His family was part of the Koryo-saram, which are Koreans living in Kazakhstan. His great-great-grandfather, Min Geung-ho, was a famous Korean general who fought for Korea's independence.

Denis went to music school for five years and sang in a choir. In 2002, his choir team won a silver medal at the World Choir Games in Busan, South Korea. This was his first trip to South Korea. He also tried many other sports like taekwondo, karate, tennis, swimming, and acrobatics.

In 2004, Denis moved to Moscow, Russia, with his mother to train. His father and older brother stayed in Kazakhstan. Denis already spoke Russian, which was his first language. In 2010, he moved with his mother to California, USA.

Denis Ten's Skating Career

Starting His Journey

Denis began skating at an outdoor rink in Almaty. Later, he practiced at an indoor rink in a shopping mall. In 2003, he won a skating competition in Omsk, Russia. The head judge, Alexander Kogan, invited him to another competition where Denis met coach Elena Buianova. Denis then started training with her.

Junior Success (2006–2009)

Denis started competing internationally in 2006 when he was 13. This was the first year he was old enough for junior-level competitions. He quickly showed his talent, winning events like the Dragon Trophy and the Haabersti Cup in 2007.

In 2008, Denis won the NRW Trophy junior event. He also placed 8th in the short program at the World Junior Championships.

The 2008–2009 season was a big one for Denis. He won his first ISU competition at the Junior Grand Prix event in Belarus. This made him the first skater from Kazakhstan to win an ISU event! He also became the first Kazakh skater to qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final, finishing 5th.

Stepping onto the Senior Stage (2009–2012)

In February 2009, at just 15 years old, Denis made his senior international debut at the Four Continents Championships. He finished 9th overall. Later that year, he competed at the World Championships. He placed 8th and helped Kazakhstan earn two spots for the Olympics for the first time in figure skating history.

Denis competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where he finished 11th. After the Olympics, he changed coaches and started training with Frank Carroll in California. In 2011, Denis won the gold medal at the Asian Winter Games. He continued to improve, finishing 7th at the 2012 World Championships, which was his best result at that time.

Olympic Medalist and World Champion (2013–2015)

The 2012–2013 season was a breakthrough for Denis. At the 2013 World Championships, he won the silver medal. He set personal best scores in both the short program and free skate. This made him the first person from Kazakhstan to win a medal at the World Championships in figure skating.

In February 2014, Denis competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He won the bronze medal, making history again as the first Olympic medalist for Kazakhstan in figure skating.

The 2014–2015 season was also very successful. At the 2015 Four Continents Championships in South Korea, Denis set new personal best scores and won the gold medal. His total score was one of the highest ever recorded at an ISU championship. He then went on to win the bronze medal at the 2015 World Championships.

Later Career (2015–2018)

Denis faced some injuries during the 2015–2016 season. Despite this, he won gold at the 2015 Golden Spin of Zagreb. He continued to compete, winning a silver medal at the 2016 Trophée de France in the 2016–2017 season. He also won gold at the 2017 Winter Universiade in his hometown of Almaty.

In his final season (2017–2018), Denis prepared for the Olympics. He competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, which was his last Olympic appearance.

Denis Ten's Personal Life

In May 2014, Denis graduated from the Kazakh Academy of Sports and Tourism with high honors. By 2015, he was studying for his MBA degree in Oil and Gas at the Business School of the Kazakh-British Technical University.

Denis also loved photography. He had a special social media page where he shared his photos. Some famous people, like actresses and athletes, even modeled for him.

Remembering Denis Ten

Denis Ten sadly passed away on July 19, 2018, in Almaty, after being attacked. He was a beloved athlete and a national hero.

Many people, including the Kazakhstan Minister of Culture and Sport, paid tribute to Denis. Figure skaters from around the world, like Adam Rippon, Patrick Chan, and Evgenia Medvedeva, shared their sadness. The president of the IOC, Thomas Bach, said Denis was "a great athlete and a great ambassador for his sport."

A memorial service for Denis was held on July 21, 2018, in Almaty. Friends, family, and the public gathered to honor him. A special gathering was also held in Astana.

On June 22, 2019, a memorial statue of Denis Ten was opened in Almaty. The statue shows him in a pose from his final performance at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Images for kids

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  Denis at the 2010 Winter Olympics

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  Denis on the 2013 World Championships podium

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  Denis on the 2014 Winter Olympics podium

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  Denis on the 2015 World Figure Skating Championships podium

Competitive Highlights

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Detailed Results

Small medals for short programs and free skating awarded only at ISU Championships.

See also

In Spanish: Denis Ten para niños