“Igor was alone in the family. Three years ago, his sister died. Coach Malinovsky could not hold back tears after the death of a biathlete

The Robinson helicopter, piloted by junior world biathlon champion Igor Malinovsky, took off on July 16 on the route Milkovo – Valley of Geysers – Caldera of the Uzon volcano. Later, the helicopter stopped communicating. On Sunday, the vehicle was found burnt down by Kamchatka rescuers. The Russian Biathlon Union (RBU) has confirmed Malinovsky’s death.

Did you manage to talk to your parents?

– The news was hard to bear. It’s hard for me, and it’s even harder for my parents. Three years ago, Igor’s older sister died. He was alone with his parents. Now Igor is gone. Only the granddaughter remained. Igor was like a son to me. Worked with him for seven years. And he lived with my family, and he knows his sons well. It hurts, it’s hard.

– Did Igor always smile and be cheerful in life?

– Yes, it’s true. He always sang! I even sang songs in my heart. He had many friends. Such a person is bright and cheerful. Like lightning!

– Did he want to return to biathlon after becoming interested in flying?

He is a maximalist. If he undertook something, he had to finish it. The sky always attracted him. His father is a helicopter pilot, Igor really wanted to be like him. In general, he did not share sports with the sky. Probably, maximalism defeated him, and he decided to go to heaven …

– He became interested in flying thanks to his father?

– Yes yes. The father is a professional pilot. He took Igor with him from an early age. Igor was educated: he studied at the Omsk Flight Technical College. The only one in our country where helicopter pilots are trained. He graduated from college, completed his flight practice and received a license.

– Do you understand why Igor failed to achieve success in adult biathlon?

– It often happens that the transition from junior sport to adult sport does not go well. Adult sport is completely different, there you have to adapt. Other speeds, loads, psychology is different. Maybe we had to wait, work more. He was also an individual guy. I had to overcome this moment. With such classy functional data.

– He didn’t want to organize the last biathlon race?

“We talked about it once. He once said he wanted to put his career on hold and complete his pilot studies. He had to practice piloting, fly a certain number of hours. He wanted to finish this case.

Do you know the circumstances of what happened?

– The bodies were delivered to Milkovo (a village in the Kamchatka Territory). A little later we will call the parents about the farewell ceremony. While everything is in a very difficult state. I think that the SBR and the Ministry of Sports of the Kamchatka Territory will provide support. I don’t know the circumstances, I didn’t ask my father, but I can say that Kamchatka is difficult in terms of flights, and the weather conditions were not the best.