“Protopopov is an outstanding person who loved figure skating” – Tatyana Mishina

Russian coach Tatyana Mishina, in a conversation with , called the late Oleg Protopopov an outstanding person who loved figure skating.

On Friday, the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) announced that two-time Olympic pair skating champion Protopopov died at the age of 91. Throughout his sports career, Protopopov played in tandem with his wife Lyudmila Belousova.

– Belousova and Protopopov – they cannot be separated. These are ours – from St. Petersburg, despite the fact that they left later. But they laid the foundation for pair skating and the glorification of our country.

Oleg Alekseevich is an outstanding person, a lover of figure skating, and until recently his whole life was connected with this sport. Already as an adult he went out on the ice and skated. Together with Lyudmila they went up and did something.

I can only say the warmest words to you. May his memory be blessed. It’s a great era. Such great people are leaving. It’s sad, I’m really sorry,” Mishina told .

The duo won the USSR championships six times (1962-1964, 1966-1968) and won the world and European championships four times (1965-1968). Belousova and Protopopov won gold medals at the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Games.

Belousova died in September 2017.