Elina Gismeeva and Fatima Zhagupova were found drowned by a Black Sea naval port in Sevastopol.
Two Russian female kickboxing champions were found dead on Monday in a swimming tragedy after one jumped into the water to save the other during a storm.
World champion Fatima Zhagupova and teammate Elina Gismeeva drowned near a Russian Black Sea naval port in Sevastopol. Zhagupova, 33, was the world champion kickboxer, while Gismeeva, 27, was the runner-up in last year’s world series listings from the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations.
The Kickboxing Federation of Russia noted that both athletes were at a Crimean training camp in preparation for the European Championships and they thought they would go and have a swim in the yacht club beach. Despite a storm, reports suggest that one of them dived off the pier despite a storm warning, which forced the other one to jump in to save her friend. The bodies of both athletes were found a few hours later during a search operation.
“The Russian Kickboxing Federation offers its sincere condolences and provides assistance to the families and friends of the victims,” the report said.
The Investigative Committee of Sevastopol has already launched an investigation into the death of the two champions.