Kazakh figure skater and Winter Olympics medallist Denis Ten stabbed to death

Almaty (Kazakhstan): Kazakhstani figure skater Denis Ten, who was the first-ever to win a bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, was stabbed to death by unknown miscreants here on Friday.

Ten was involved in a dispute when two men attempted to steal his car mirrors. While resisting, he was repeatedly stabbed, leaving him in a pool of blood, CNN quoted Kazakh news agency Kazinform.

He was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries later. Kazakh authorities are treating his death as a murder case.

As per media reports, a man has confessed to Ten's killing in front of the prosecutors. The police are on the lookout for the second suspect as well.

Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said in a statement, "Denis Ten was a great athlete and a great ambassador for his sport. A warm personality and a charming man. Such a tragedy to lose him at such a young age."

Kazakh Minister of Culture and Sport, Arystanbek Mukhamediuly termed the incident as "a horrific and unfair tragedy," Kazinform reported citing CNN.

"Denis Ten is an incredible figure skater, the legend of our sport, our pride. He passed away despite the best doctors [...] fighting for his life," he said.

Earlier this year, Ten finished at 27th position at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea.

The 25-year-old skater clinched silver and bronze medals at the World Championships in 2013 and 2015 respectively.