Seversk native became world champion in swimming for deaf

TOMSK, Nov 24 – RIA Tomsk. Seversk athlete Stepan Skosyrsky won four gold medals and two bronze medals as part of the Russian national team at the World Deaf Short Course Swimming Championships in Poland, the regional administration's press service reported on Wednesday.

"The citizen of Seversk became the world champion in swimming among the deaf... Stepan (Skosyrsky) became the bronze medalist in the 400m (medley) and 200m (butterfly) distances. As a member of the national team Stepan won four gold medals in the relay race: 4x50m and 4x200m freestyle, 4x50m and 4x100m medley relay," the report said.

It is added that the Russian national team took the first place in the team event, winning 36 gold, 17 silver and 12 bronze medals. Skosyrsky fulfilled the standard of the Master of Sports of International Class (deaf sport). He was prepared for the tournament by coaches Yury Yachmenev and Olga Radionova.

As it was informed earlier, Stepan Skosyrsky from Seversk in 2020 successfully performed at the championship and superiority of Russia among deaf where more than 360 athletes from 26 regions of Russia participated. Skosyrsky competed in six events and won prizes in each event.

It was also reported that Skosyrsky has been hearing-impaired since birth, so he follows all commands of his coach by lip-reading, and starts the race by following the light, not the whistle.