On March 15th, Mikhail Mukhodinov died following a race at the Central District Swimming Championship at the Olimp Sports Palace, commonly referred to as “Olympus.” Mukhodinov was just 17 years old, and would have turned 18 on May 6th.
Eyewitness reports state that he had just finished swimming the 200 breast, and just shortly after exiting the pool, he lost consciousness, collapsing on the ground. Several people rushed to help Mukhodinov immediately, including former World Record holder Nikolai Skvortsov, who was behind the blocks preparing for his own race. The first responders and emergency medical personnel who arrived on the scene shortly after did everything they could to save his life, but sadly he passed away at the scene.
Mukhodinov started making a name for himself in junior Russian swimming when he won the 100 breast at a junior national-level meet in 2014, breaking the meet record. Since then, he had continued to improve, and was on track to potentially make a Russian National Team in the future.
The cause of death is currently unknown, but has been narrowed down to either a heart attack, or bronchospasm. Mukhodinov’s coach told the media Mukhodinov passed a medical exam the day before the meet started, and his health was “excellent”. Be that as it may, the Russian Investigative Committee has opened a case into whether his death was caused by negligence. The investigation is ongoing.
As for the family and friends of Mukhodinov, they have said they remember him as a “reliable friend”, a “handsome, kind, and very bright man”, and a “promising swimmer”.
at my highschool district meet years ago a boy had a seizure or something after a race. I believe he had epilepsy or some sort of disorder it wasn’t his first time, but it was a life threatening situation being in the pool. I was in a later heat of the same event and I was so focused I completely missed it until the lifeguards responded.
props to nikolai for being able respond to that. I didn’t. it is really hard to do. I’ve made saves as a lifeguard and even once at the pool working out, but to go from swim meet focus to hero focus is incredibly difficult. hats off to mr Skvortsov, he deserves to be… Read more »
Is this preventable?? So heartbreaking!! Scary for a swim mom like me to imagine such a strong young man having any weaknesses…..
May he indeed rest in peace. One other note from the article – when did “former World Record holder” Nikolai Skvortsov ever hold a world record & for what? Nothing turns up in doing a search.
Scm 200 fly in 08
It was brief. He held the SCM 200 fly for about 8 months back in 08-09.
Dumnezeu sa-l odihneasca in Pace ! Amin… Concoleante tuturor celor care l-au cunoscut si iubit….
This is not the first time this has happened in Russia has it?
Il happened in Norway and in China…
Dale Oen passed away in Arizona, US.
While training with the Norwegian national team. Not sure either really means anything, although cause of death was not what’s being inferred with the Russian(s).
Alexander Dale Oen died from coronary artery disease (clogged heart arteries), not hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. A middle aged man’s disease in a young man with tragic results. US soldiers killed in Korea had unexpectedly high degrees of CAD on autopsy, so it can happen in young men. Alexander Dale Oen must have had a compelling genetic history to have lethal CAD. In younger victims of 17 it is perhaps more likely to experience sudden death from a cardiac conduction abnormality of hidden electrocardiographic bypass tract leading to a malignancy, i.e. lethal, arrhythmia. Unfortunate news all around.
Thoughts are with his family and friends. This is absolutely heartbreaking
Oh my goodness. Rest In Peace young man. My guess is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy