Fire in the eyes

Athlete rescuer Nikita Ukolov has spoken about the world record, his dream, and why he loves Belarus

The question of whether a firefighter should burn with passion at work is not one that Nikita Ukolov grapples with — he always works with zest. There is arguably no more vibrant and prominent figure in fire and rescue sports today than this young man, who has been at the top for five years, breaking records and racking up championship titles. A month ago, Nikita along with his teammates from the Belarusian national team brought home another batch of precious gold medals from Harbin, China, where our team, as always, delivered a stellar performance at the world championships.

Sweet moment of victory: Belarusian athlete rescuer Nikita Ukolov 

In addition to the medals, the captain and deputy head of the fire and rescue unit No. 23 of the Frunzensky District Emergencies Department at the Minsk City Department of Belarus’ Emergencies Ministry — Nikita Ukolov — returned to his Homeland with a unique achievement having broken the world record that had lasted for long 12 years and was considered eternal. There were assumptions behind the scenes that it was simply impossible to complete the distance in the event ‘the ascent up the assault ladder to the fourth floor of the training tower’ faster than the existing record as it was the human ceiling. The leader of the Belarusian team proved to himself and the whole world that nothing is impossible, while the Order of Honour, bestowed by the President for achieving high sporting results and significant personal contribution to the development of fire and rescue sports, became a worthy reward for his displayed bravery.
Nikita is a good-natured, smiley, and modest young man. Bold, determined, and valiant, yet he utterly dislikes giving interviews on camera. Posing for photographs is not his cup of tea, either. “If it has to be done, it has to be done,” agreed the champion and world record holder, but he looked as if he would rather complete a 100-metre obstacle course five times along with a fire relay race and military deployment instead.  

— How many medals do you have?  
— I only keep count of the gold medals won in individual competitions. There are 44 of them: 23 in the Belarusian championships, 13 in international tournaments, and eight at world championships.  

— A milestone is approaching! Do you have the most memorable victory?  
— At the world championship in Saratov in 2019, I won the scaling ladder event and became a world champion for the first time. It feels like a turning point, going from an underdog to a top contender that everyone knows, fears, and respects.  

— To be honest, fire and rescue sports are not the most obvious choice for a guy. Typically, boys go in for football, hockey, martial arts…  
— My dad worked as a driver for the Emergencies Ministry, transporting a sports team. During school holidays, he would take me along. I even attended the world championship in 2004 in Minsk. I knew what this sport was about, but I had not planned to participate — it happened by chance. One day, a coach came to school and offered to try… I liked it and stayed.

— Your crowning achievement is the assault ladder. At the world championship in Harbin, you aimed to break the world record and you achieved your goal. However, you did not win a gold medal and came second, losing in the final to your teammate Anton Tarasevich. How did that happen?
— I broke the record during the preliminary heats, having climbed to the fourth floor of the training tower in 12.47 seconds. Before that, the best result was 12.56, set by a Russian athlete back in 2012. Since then, it had been repeated exactly three times, but no one could surpass it. Talks had been circulating that this was the ceiling that was impossible to break through. However, I was confident the opposite was true. I had been preparing and proved that I was right by shaving 0.09 seconds off the record. I think I broke the ‘sound barrier’ and now others will run faster as well. This had happened before, when the time stagnated at 12.95 seconds, and only two people in the world could get below 13 seconds — that was considered ultra-class. Then the record fell, and it was as if a dam burst: dozens of athletes started breaking the 13-second barrier. It is probably all about psychology.

— Was it psychology that let you down in the final?
— I had always prided myself on being emotionally resilient. I could gather myself at the necessary moment. But this time I started to overthink things. Running in the final next to me was a young and very strong Russian. He got close to my world record in the semifinal, and to win, I decided to take a risk — instead of finding an optimal pace to then perfectly convert horizontal speed to vertical when climbing the tower, I went all out. We started. He was right next to me. I pushed harder. He stayed close. I pushed even more. He did not fall back. And then — bang: hello, tower! Carried away by our competition with each other, we ‘crashed’, to put it in jargon. Meanwhile, Anton Tarasevich did not force the pace, he did not rush. Taking advantage of our mistakes, he calmly got the job done and became the champion. By the way, it is worth noting that the entire podium was Belarusian, with Ilya Bondarenko winning bronze.

At the start

For justice, rule of law, stability, and safety  

— Have you travelled to many countries?  
— When the sporting world was still open, we went to tournaments in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, we visited Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine… Then everything suddenly changed; many have simply stopped coming to competitions, and ignore the world championships. It is a pity. Czechs were serious competitors and always contended for medals. In fire and rescue sports, there have never been any bans on competing with national symbols. Those who do not like this situation have left the international federation and do not take part in competitions. However, the Austrian team, for example, participates. Competing under national symbols is a source of pride and a great honour for me. I really like the Belarusian flag. It is beautiful even aesthetically. We participate in competitions primarily to represent our country, not ourselves. When you win and stand on the podium while the anthem is playing — it is a special feeling. It gives you goosebumps.  

— Why do you love Belarus?  
— You cannot answer this question in just a couple of words. First of all, it is my Homeland, in the deepest sense of the word. Secondly, for the opportunities it provides to everyone. I can only speak for myself. I serve in the Emergencies Ministry, and there are all the conditions for development there, including healthcare, assistance in housing construction, and more. Thirdly, for justice, rule of law, stability, and safety. All of this resonates with me deeply. You know, you clearly understand how wonderful it is at home when you are visiting elsewhere. We often become less perceptive of things around and stop noticing all the beauty of our country, its cities and towns, and its nature. The state’s care for its citizens also seems natural to us, yet such attention is far from universal.

Two captains  

— Your wife also serves in the Emergencies Ministry, doesn’t she? What rank does she hold?  
— Marina is a captain. Just like me.  

— Who is the main authority in the family?  
— It depends on the issues. Marina is the brainiac.  

— And you represent the strength?  
— I do not interfere with her. She is smart — she got a gold medal [at school] and a red diploma [at university].   

— Does your wife cheer for you at competitions?  
— She worries more than I do! I must admit that sometimes it even threw me off. So now I tell her: don’t! I feel more comfortable competing when my family is not in the stands.  

— Who is your main authority in firefighting sports?  
— Maksim Shaporev, a long-time captain of the national team. Maksim has been retired from sports for three years now, and we really miss him in the team. It is not just about athletic qualities. He is a person of great stature! At one time, I even thought that the Belarusian national team in fire and rescue sports was him. He epitomises a true captain.  

— Do you have a dream?  
— A new world record. To make sure it lasts for ages!  

ALWAYS BE THERE 

“When I found out that I would be awarded the Order of Honour, I felt incredible pride,” confessed Nikita Ukolov. “Such recognition of my work means that I am on the right path, doing everything correctly. I am glad to bring glory to Belarus. To love your country and be useful to it is a duty for everyone. And for us — those serving in the Emergencies Ministry — it is also important to always be there and come to the rescue in time.”

By Sergei Kanashits