Zakharov, Olympic champion: “Sautin is a legend, the idol of my childhood”

Olympic champion Ilya Zakharov told that the two-time Olympic diving champion Dmitri Sautin was his childhood idol.

Sautin celebrates his 50th birthday on March 15.

— I would like to congratulate my comrade, my childhood idol Dmitry Ivanovich Sautin. He is a legendary man who has done incredible work to glorify our diving around the world. The only diver in the world to win eight Olympic medals, this result is unlikely to be repeated.

I wish you good health and continue to delight us with your dedication to diving. I would like to wish him well-being, so that his dreams come true and all his goals are achieved,” Zakharov told .