Olympic champion in ice dancing Roman Kostomarov received a standing ovation during the ice show of Ilya Averbukh in Sochi, unexpectedly going out on the ice. But just recently, he was on the verge of life and death. The amazing fortitude of a real athlete.
It seemed unreal When Kostomarov was admitted to intensive care at the beginning of 2023, the whole country was in shock. Roman has long been one of the favorite skaters in Russia, and his popularity spread not only in sports. Even those who have never been interested in figure skating know the Olympic champion. And the shock happened due to the fact that Kostomarov always gave the impression of an incredibly healthy person — not a gram of excess weight, muscles and a sea of u200bu200bpositive.
No one could have imagined that what happened to him could happen. Roman landed in Kommunarka on January 10 and spent a total of 175 days in the clinic. Because of the developed necrosis, he underwent several amputations of his arms and legs. It was also reported that part of the brain was affected, hemorrhage occurred and a hematoma formed. At a certain moment, quite disturbing news about the condition of the athlete began to arrive, but Kostomarov still managed to get out.
Already in May, he published the first video on social networks, in which he thanked the doctors for their help, and his relatives, friends and all the fans for their all-round support. Roman was soon discharged from the hospital. He began a long journey of recovery, while not forgetting to post about almost every step he took. The video where he works out in the gym conquered everyone in Russia.
Honored coach of Russia Alexander Zhulin even offered Kostomarov a job as a coach in his group. Then the invitation looked like an overly optimistic desire, and not something real, but soon the idea was picked up by his former ice dancing partner Tatyana Navka and other people from the world of figure skating. Looking at the incredible progress that Roman has made during training, the understanding gradually came that there was nothing unrealistic in this.
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He returned to a standing ovation And today, for the first time after a terrible illness, Kostomarov appeared on the ice at Ilya Averbukh's show «Letters of Love» at the Iceberg Ice Palace in Sochi. Averbukh was one of those who supported Roman throughout the entire treatment and was constantly in touch with the doctors of Kommunarka and the family of the Olympic champion. Moreover, it was Ilya who was the first to indicate that Kostomarov's condition was showing positive dynamics at a time when the media painted a gloomy picture of his prospects. He took to the ice in shoes at the end of his wife Oksana Domnina's number and, of course, pleasantly shocked the audience, who greeted the skater with a real ovation.
«Thank you very much for your support and wishes. I felt it. Thank you very much from me and of our entire team! May everyone be attentive and healthy, all the best to you,» Kostomarov said in the final of the Averbukh gala show.
Perhaps, it is difficult to add something to the words of the Olympic champion who survived this. But you can once again marvel at his will to live and phenomenal fortitude.