Roman Kostomarov, the 2006 Olympic champion in ice dancing, spoke about how he chose to team up with Tatyana Navka on the NTV program Secret of a Million.
It was a very tough decision. He is someone who takes time to warm up to people, so at first he did not accept the idea. He was already a well known athlete, and the choice carried real implications for his career. In time, the decision proved necessary for the path his sport required.
Ice dancing is a demanding discipline, and Kostomarov understood the weight of his choices. He admitted that there were moments when he was not communicating with his former partner after the split in 1998 until the 2005 World Cup. During a later banquet, he sought forgiveness from his former coach for the past, a moment that brought those memories to the surface and, as he described, it eventually brought him peace.
The skater’s first partner was Ekaterina Davydova. Together they made their debut at the world junior championships and trained side by side for nearly a decade, building a foundation that would influence Kostomarov’s later career.
In January 2023, Kostomarov faced a severe health crisis after performing at an open-air show during the New Year period. He was admitted to intensive care with pneumonia and required ventilation. His condition was described as extremely serious.
He was moved to a hospital in Kommunarka where he received advanced life support including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. During the treatment, medical decisions led to the amputation of both feet and hands. After a period of critical care, he was discharged from the hospital on July 6.
Kostomarov later stated that no prosthesis could replace his arms and legs, underscoring the profound impact of his injuries and the long road to recovery.