photo author: Alexey Nikiforov’s social networks
In his native republic, the athlete was recognized as a hero.
Alexey Nikiforov was a member of the elite of hapsagay – the Yakut national martial arts, and was professionally engaged in wrestling – solid prospects opened up for the guy from the region. However, last summer, the path of the 24-year-old athlete was suddenly interrupted.
The fighter noticed that a boy was drowning and without hesitation rushed to help … The boy was saved only at the cost of his own life.
heroic rescue
On July 16, 2022, Nikiforov heard cries for help as he and his friends were sunbathing on Petukhovka beach in the village of Prigorodnoye. The boy was caught in a strong current and was unable to return to shore. Together with his friends, the athlete rushed to save the boy: the guys managed to pull him out of the water, but Nikiforov himself could not return to the shore.
“I did everything possible to save it, the current and the waves were very strong. I grabbed him and dragged him, he was all swollen, he didn’t speak, I tried to get him out in different ways, I tried both his arms and his back, I looked around for help, I only saw my boys, who were also choking, he appeared and disappeared in water. Nobody swam to help me, apparently, they thought that I would save him myself. I tried with all my might, but could not, – Nikiforov’s friend recalled in an interview with News.Ykt.
photo author: Alexey Nikiforov’s social networks
The wrestler’s friends handed the boy over to his parents, who, without saying a word, hastily left the place… A few days later, divers managed to find the body of the dead wrestler. After the incident, the athlete’s relatives repeatedly asked journalists to help find the boy’s parents, but to no avail.
Locals have been calling for the closure of the dangerous beach for years. Citizens report that employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations regularly have to save people’s lives in Petukhovka: Nikiforov was far from the first victim of the treacherous river. It was not until 2017 that the authorities took action and blocked the beach with a trench: by that time, at least eight people had died there.
“People like that only exist in books.”
A couple of months later, Nikiforov was posthumously awarded the Hurry to Do Good medal. In addition, for the students of NEFU (Northeastern Federal University), from whose law school the deceased athlete graduated, an annual award was established in his honor.
Photo credit: Photo source: Alexey Nikiforov’s social networks
Thanks to the initiative competition “People’s Budget – 2016” in the village of Prigorodnoye, it was also decided to build a sports complex named after the hero. Construction was completed in 2016. A memorial plaque to Alexei Nikiforov was installed next to the site. Yakutsk City Chief Aisen Nikolaev attended the grand opening. He personally honored the memory of the young athlete:
– Aleksey Nikiforov could have lived many more years, but his spiritual essence did not allow him to stand aside when he saw a drowning child. This is a feat of a man who gave his life in the name of saving others. Sometimes we think that these people only exist in books or movies, but they live among us. I am sure that the memory of Alexei Nikiforov, a wonderful person, a true hero of our time, will always live in the hearts of citizens, Aisen Nikolaev said.
Later, in honor of the hero in Yakutsk, the embankment near Lake Saysary was also named, and in 2019, a personal team championship in hapsagay, named after Alexei, also began in the republic.
