World synchronized swimming champion Valitova opened up about an eating disorder during her career

Five-time synchronized swimming world champion Darina Valitova admitted that during her sports career she suffered from an eating disorder.

Valitova performed in group and duet competitions with Alexander Maltsev.

– I began to recover in the transition period, at the age of 17, late my breasts grew. The coach came over and said, “Something you’ve improved somehow, something you’re kind of big on.” And I started driving, constant weighing, constant limits in my head – it’s impossible and it’s impossible, but they won’t put you in the national team … Then I was still in juniors in the elevators, and my co-workers said, “Don’t eat.” I “didn’t finish” until 38 kg in juniors. It’s a disease. First you refuse a bit, then you eat an apple a day, then you just drink water, then you pass out and then you collapse. It seemed to me that I was big, huge. I was kind of ashamed to ask for help, I thought people wouldn’t understand me,” Valitova said in an interview with YouTube channel Peretrem.

– Most [сильное] the exacerbation was in 2016-2017, when stress, a fracture, a leg, a knee… Bulimia, eating disorders… The girls of the national team also suffer from it, if you did not know – I see “mine”.

After the sport, we are generally fine. They tell me it’s impossible to get rid of the problem, but I say it’s possible if you want it yourself,” Valitova added, noting that she hadn’t told anyone about her problems for a while. time.