MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Roman Kostomarov, Russia’s 2006 Winter Olympic champion in ice dancing, is the most strong-willed character who ventured to hit the ice dancing after a series of surgeries pairing his spouse Oksana Domnina, Russia’s ex-Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov told TASS on Monday.

Late last week, Kostomarov and his wife Oksana Domnina appeared on the ice for the first time after the Russian figure skater was discharged from the hospital. On late Sunday night, Kostomarov and his previous skating partner Tatiana Navka were paired again on the ice in what should have been seemed a repeat to their fabulous gold medal performance at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turn to the tune of 'Carmen' music.

"I was really hopping to see him skating that night and I’m really glad it happened," Kolobkov, who served as the Russian sports minister between 2016 and 2020 and is also the country’s decorated fencer winning the 2000 Sydney Olympics gold in Epee competition, said.

"He is a real fighter and a man boasting the strongest will," Kolobkov continued. "I believe it was not one of his so-called recent surprises."

"I did see how the audience hungrily applauded him, anticipating him [to ice skate], and he was pleased with it," Russia’s ex-sports chief added.

In early January, Kostomarov was rushed to the ICU at Moscow’s Kommunarka Hospital for treatment for lung inflammation. The skater was in critical condition and was connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) life support machine. He was suffering from sepsis and had problems with blood circulation. It was reported in February that Kostomarov had both feet and both wrists amputated.

Kostomarov, 46, won a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, where he skated with partner Tatyana Navka in the ice dancing event.

The duo of Kostomarov and Navka also clinched two gold medals at the World Championships, took home three golds at the European championships, and another three golds plus a silver at the ISU Grand Prix Finals.