Olympic figure skating medalist Denis Ten was stabbed to death on Thursday in his native Kazakhstan, according to the Associated Press. He was 25.
Kazakh news agencies have reported that Ten was stabbed after thieves tried to steal a mirror from his car. He died in a local hospital a few hours after the altercation. The New York Times reported that he had lost a significant amount of blood and CPR was administered for two hours.
According to The Times, Ten was a part of Kazakhstan’s Korean minority. He won the bronze medal at the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, becoming Kazakhstan’s first medalist in figure skating. According to the AP, he also won the Four Continents championships in 2015, where he also won a silver medal in 2013.
Ten was hoping to do well at the Olympics in South Korea in February, but he placed 27th due in part to ankle, back and hip injuries.
American figure skater Adam Rippon took to Twitter on Thursday to pay tribute to his “skating friend,” writing, “He was so kind to everyone and a huge inspiration to me and so many other people. Murdered in the streets of Kazakhstan. Denis, thank you for showing us how to be a champion. Your time with us was way too short. Love you forever.”
My skating friend, @Tenis_Den, passed away today. He was so kind to everyone and a huge inspiration to me and so many other people. Murdered in the streets of Kazakhstan. Denis, thank you for showing us how to be a champion. Your time with us was way too short. Love you forever.
— Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) July 19, 2018