Olympic champion Kostomarov said that as a child he wanted to quit figure skating

Olympic champion Roman Kostomarov said that sometimes when he was a child he wanted to quit figure skating, but his parents persuaded him to continue pursuing the sport.

In early 2023, Kostomarov was hospitalized due to complications from pneumonia. The 47-year-old athlete began suffering from tissue necrosis and underwent several limb amputations. Kostomarov then underwent prosthetic surgery, and in December he returned to ice skating in Ilya Averbukh’s show.

“My parents toughened me up from childhood. We were born in a time when principles were harsh. I started figure skating when I was a kid, and sometimes I felt like giving it all up, basically cooking potatoes with friends in the backyard. Mom told me: “Think with your stupid head, you will either cook potatoes with friends all your life, or you will become a famous athlete. My parents told me that you have to study, work, devote yourself to your business, and then success will await you. Exercise really strengthens you.

—You once said that you were more afraid of death than of becoming disabled. There are people who have gone through difficulties like yours, but they don’t enjoy life.

– There are many such people. When you face global problems, some problems you had before become insignificant. If you have arms and legs, then life is wonderful. You have to appreciate that. We only understand this when we lose it,” reports the correspondent of , according to Kostomarov’s words.

Oksana Domnina, Kostomarov’s wife, said she felt great support when Roman was admitted to the hospital.

—Thank you to everyone who worried and prayed for Roman. I felt all this great support. My inner support was the belief that everything would be okay. My sporting journey has strengthened my character so much that in this life situation, it has helped me a lot,” she added.

Kostomarov, together with Tatyana Navka, won gold at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, also became world champion twice and won the European Championships three times.