OCA pays tribute to Denis Ten

OCA: Denis Ten - one of Asia’s best and most popular athletes

Kuwait, July 20, 2018: The Olympic Council of Asia has expressed "shock and immense grief" over the death of Kazakhstan figure skater Denis Ten at the age of 25.

"It is difficult to comprehend and to accept this truly awful news about the death of Denis Ten," said the OCA President, H.E. Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, in a statement.

"He was one of Asia’s most talented and popular athletes and to lose him at such a young age is tragic. It is a huge shock and we feel immense grief over his death."

One of Ten’s proudest moments came at the OCA’s 7th Asian Winter Games in his home country Kazakhstan in 2011.

Ten, born in Almaty, won gold in the men’s figure skating at the Kazakhstan Sports Palace in Astana - and later added the bronze medal at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in 2014.

"The performance of Denis Ten in winning gold in front of his own fans at the Asian Winter Games was one of the highlights of the event – and one of the main reasons why Kazakhstan 2011 was such a big success," added Sheikh Ahmad.

"Three years later he brought further glory to Kazakhstan and Asia by winning the bronze medal at Sochi.

"The OCA would like to send its most sincere condolences to the family of Denis Ten, to the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan and to figure skating fans all over the world. His achievements will never be forgotten and are for ever written in the history of Asian sport."

*Kazakh news sources reported that Ten caught two unidentified people trying to steal the mirrors from his car in Almaty on Thursday. A scuffle ensued and Ten was stabbed and died soon after due to severe blood loss.

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