Oleg Protopopov was a Russian pair skater who represented the Soviet Union.
With his wife Ludmila Belousova he is a two-time Olympic champion (1964, 1968) and four-time World champion (1965–1968).
In 1979, the pair defected to Switzerland and became Swiss citizens in 1995. They continued to skate at ice shows and exhibitions through their seventies.
Who was Oleg Protopopov?
Oleg Protopopov was born Oleg Alekseyevich Protopopov on July 16, 1932 in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, Russia.
He started skating at age 15 and was coached by Nina Lepninskaya. He served in the Baltic Fleet from 1951 to 1956.
He met Ludmila Belousova in 1954 and married her in 1957.
He graduated from Herzen University, faculty of physical education. He was raised by his mother, a professional ballet dancer, and his stepfather, a poet.
Some of the career highlights of Oleg Protopopov are:
He won two Olympic gold medals in pairs skating with his wife Ludmila Belousova in 1964 and 1968.
He won four consecutive World and European championships in pairs skating from 1965 to 1968.
He introduced a new era of pairs skating with a romantic style that resembled Russian ballet.
He defected to Switzerland in 1979 and became a Swiss citizen in 1995.
He continued to skate in shows and exhibitions until his late seventies.
Oleg Protopopov Cause Of Death
Oleg Protopopov died on 3 November 2023 at the age of 91.
The exact cause of death has not been reported, but he had a history of health problems, including a stroke in 2009 that required a pacemaker implant.
Oleg Protopopov Wife
Protopopov’s wife was Ludmila Belousova, a Soviet and Russian pair skater who represented the Soviet Union with him.
They were married in December 1957 and won two Olympic gold medals and four World championships in pairs skating.
They defected to Switzerland in 1979 and became Swiss citizens in 1995. Belousova died in 2017 at the age of 81.
Oleg Protopopov Children
Protopopov and his wife Ludmila Belousova did not have any children.
They decided to focus on their skating career and continued to perform until their late seventies.
Oleg Protopopov Net Worth
Protopopov was a Russian pair skater who represented the Soviet UnionProtopopov’s net worth is not publicly available, but some sources estimate it to be around $5 million (as of 2021)
He earned most of his income from his career as a figure skater, winning two Olympic gold medals and four World championships with his wife Ludmila Belousova.
Oleg Protopopov Illness
Protopopov had a history of health problems, including a stroke in 2009 that required a pacemaker implant.
When is Oleg Protopopov funeral?
As at now the exact date and location of Oleg Protopopov funeral have not been announced yet.
Having said that, we are still following up on his death, we will update you once we obtain significant information about Oleg Protopopov funeral service.
Source: Atinkanews.net
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