Sergei Grinkovs Cause Of Death: A Tragic Loss In The Figure Skating Community

Sergei Grinkov was a two-time Olympic Figure Skater and a beloved figure in the skating world. On November 20th, 1995, he unexpectedly fell and passed away from a severe heart attack.

Dr. Francis Varga, who conducted the preliminary autopsy, revealed that Sergei had suffered another heart attack within the previous 24 hours before passing out on Monday.

Further investigation showed signs of an enlarged heart due to untreated high blood pressure as well as a significant blockage in two of his coronary arteries.

His wife Gordeeva and several skating celebrities eventually held a tribute performance in his honor called “Celebration of a Life” which was subsequently broadcast on television.

In this way, fans were able to share moments of remembrance for Sergei’s lasting legacy on ice.

The state police’s preliminary tests ruled out abuse of narcotics as a contributing factor in Sergei Grinkov’s untimely death. Chief investigator Ronald Varga further stated that steroid use was also seen as implausible due to the lack of any prior indications of drug usage and his investigation findings.

At the news conference, Dr. Varga made it known that “Grinkov was plainly in very good health except for this one problem” and was physically fit with no visible sign of long-term steroid use. Nevertheless, extra drug testing would be done to test for steroids and other substances.

Investigations conducted later on revealed a familial risk factor for early heart attacks, with Grinkov suffering from severely constricted coronary arteries that led to his fatal heart attack – the artery opening being only the size of a pinhole.

Cardiac death

Sudden cardiac death is a common cause of premature death in athletes, particularly among baseball and hockey players. It disproportionately affects males and athletes under the age of 25.

Sudden cardiac death is the most common cause of sudden death in athletes, according to a 2016 study by Massachusetts General Hospital doctors. This type of cardiac incident occurs at a rate of 1 in 40,000 per year among athletes.

In the past few decades, several young athletes have died from various types of cardiac incidents, including the sudden death of figure skater Sergei Grinkov in 1995.

Career

Grinkov began his ice skating career at the CSKA Children and Youth Sports School in Moscow when he was five. 

Grinkov’s coach chose to try pair skating with him because he wasn’t an excellent solo skater. At the Central Red Army Club (CSKA) in Moscow in August 1981, Grinkov’s coach Vladimir Zaharov partnered him with Ekaterina Gordeeva.

They finished in second place at the 1988 World Championships due to a mistake they made during the lengthy program, but they went on to win gold in 1989 and defend their title in 1990. 

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