Yana Kudryavtseva: “Successful surgery was the best gift for me on my eighteenth birthday”

Thirteen-time world champion in Rhythmic Gymnastics Yana Kudryavtseva, who underwent surgery on her leg at the end of the World Cup in Stuttgart, took part in the press conference held in the ROC within the project called ‘Russian Olympic Team Media Center’.  Athlete told about her health and reassured that very soon she will be back on track and continue to prepare for the main start of a four-year period.

“At the end of August at the World Cup in Kazan, I felt pain in my leg. According to the doctors’ preliminary diagnosis I had growth plate inflammation. There was no injury risk. I could perform. But after the World Cup the pain sharpened and underwent leg surgery at a German clinic. I went there together with my dad.

I got to the hospital on my eighteenth birthday. The successful surgery was the best gift for my eighteen birthday (she laughs). Six weeks after the surgery (at the end of November – author’s note) I will remove the orthopedic boot, go to Germany for 10 days to undergo recovery. After that I will return to the training sessions”, – said thirteen-time World Champion.

It must be noted that in 2014, following a Russian sports journalists’ vote, Yana Kudryavtseva was declared the best Russian athlete. However, then Yana could not get the award because of the performance at the Gazprom Cup. At today’s press conference Nikolay Dolgopolov, President of the Federation of Sports Journalists of Russia, handed the FSJR Silver Doe Award to three-times overall world champion. Thus, another award has found its hero!