The award ceremony for Paralympic athletes took place in Dzerzhinsk.

      03 December 2025 11:59 Sport

      On December 2, at the regional adaptive sports center "Parus" in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Region, the XIX solemn award ceremony of the Paralympic Committee of Russia's "Return to Life" prize took place. The ceremony was attended by the Chair of the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Region Evgeny Lyulin, President of the Paralympic Committee of Russia Pavel Rozhkov, representatives of the regional government and the Ministry of Sport, the Mayor of Dzerzhinsk Mikhail Klinkov, and outstanding Paralympic athletes.

      The President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory address to the participants and guests of the event. It was read out by the Chair of the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Region Evgeny Lyulin.

      The laureates of the XIX Ceremony were Paralympic athletes who showed outstanding sporting results at the 2025 World and European Championships, as well as the coaches who prepared the athletes and people who made a major contribution to the development of the Paralympic movement in our country.

      As Evgeny Lyulin wrote on his MAKH channel, athletes, coaches and journalists from across the country gathered in Dzerzhinsk. "The main heroes, of course, were the athletes who, despite all the sanctions, performed successfully at the World and European Championships in 2025 and became winners. By the end of the season they were among the top-10 national teams that collected the richest medal hauls! We can be proud that many of our fellow countrymen are among the elite of world parasports. I presented awards in the 'Overcoming' category to Andrey Vdovin and Dmitry Safronov, as well as to Evgeny Torsunov — the track and field athletes delivered superb results. The swimmers and footballers did as well. Awards were given not only to athletes but also to coaches. When a fragile blind woman-coach prepares a swimming champion among the blind — that is also a feat," the speaker of the regional parliament noted.

      "The 'Return to Life' award has been held for 20 years. It has become a symbol of courage, strength of character, will, determination and strength of spirit. Its laureates are the country's best Paralympians, who have achieved outstanding results and whose victories inspire all of Russia. They are an example for thousands of people. Congratulations to all the laureates of the 'Return to Life' award. This is recognition of your sporting achievements," said Pavel Rozhkov, President of the Paralympic Committee of Russia.

      The ceremony was hosted by Honored Journalist of the Russian Federation, five-time TEFI national award laureate and Match TV commentator Dmitry Guberniev, and International-class Master of Sport in figure skating and Match TV correspondent Emma Gadzhieva.

      The laureates of the "Return to Life" award were chosen in 10 categories reflecting their life stories and sporting paths: "Overcoming," "I Love You, Life," "By Personal Example," "Strength of Will," "Point of Support," "Both Life and Tears and Love...," "Turning Point of Fate," "What Is Our Life? — Struggle!," "Second Wind," and "Return to Life."

      The Chair of the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Region Evgeny Lyulin received an award in the "Point of Support" category.

      "Dzerzhinsk proves every day that it is the capital of Russian parasport. The head of the Russian Paralympic Committee Pavel Alekseevich Rozhkov said it plainly, noting that there is no other place with such a dense competition schedule: championships in sledge hockey, PODA-football, and this year, for the first time, the Cup of the Defenders of the Fatherland of the Volga Federal District (PFO) was held. This is a high appraisal of the combined work of deputies, the regional government, the administration and the Duma of Dzerzhinsk. Together we develop sports infrastructure, train champions from kindergarten — we open sports complexes for children with disabilities. We plan to build a hotel with facilities for the comfortable accommodation of athletes with limited abilities. All these efforts are not in vain! At the ceremony came the news that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered our para-athletes to be admitted to international competitions for skiers and snowboarders — with the Russian flag and anthem! Dzerzhinsk will continue to train new champions, proving to the whole world that Russians do not give up!" emphasized the speaker of the regional parliament.

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