Swim : ‘I couldn’t stop crying’
Masha Glukhova called Alexey Belyy all the time. Usually, 10 times a day.
Since coming to the United States, the Russian pair has been inseparable – even though one lived in Syracuse and other lived in Bakersfield, Calif. One time, the Syracuse University swimming and diving sophomore called Belyy, a senior swimmer at California State University-Bakersfield, at 9 a.m., Eastern time. Of course, that meant it was only 6 a.m. on the other end of the phone.
A groggy Belyy answered. ‘Masha…I’m sleeping. Why are you calling me?’
Glukhova laughed and said, ‘If you’re sleeping, why did you answer the phone?’
On the morning of Friday, Jan. 11, Glukhova and Belyy shared a similar morning conversation, but for some reason the communication between the sibling-like best friends stalled through the rest of the day. Day turned to night – on both coasts – before Glukhova finally received a message from Belyy’s girlfriend.
Belyy, 26, had collapsed and died.
‘I couldn’t move,’ Glukhova said. ‘I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t stop crying.’
According to The Bakersfield Californian, Belyy collapsed at approximately 4 p.m. at his off-campus apartment following swimming practice for the Division II Roadrunners. His roommates said he complained of chest pains, walked upstairs to lie down and passed out. They performed CPR and called 911. One hour and 30 minutes later, Belyy was pronounced dead.
Glukhova was a wreck.
Nothing seemed right. She came down with a sickness upon hearing the news. Glukhova swam with Belyy since childhood at swimming camps in Russia. Swimming and Belyy were one and the same to her. Even as the sport brought both overseas and then 2,700 miles apart, Belyy became somewhat of a big brother. Without his daily voice, the sport wasn’t the same.
‘When I came to the pool, I was scared to see the water because it reminded me of him,’ she said. ‘He was a very huge part of my life. But then I realized I needed to swim for him because he’d be upset if I quit swimming.’
After a couple days away from the pool to exhale, Glukhova had one of her best meets ever at Seton Hall on Jan. 26. In SU’s 182-114 win, she took first place in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:07.52) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:26.96), while racing a leg for the women’s winning 400 medley relay team (3:58.89).
The powerful, Russian-rich voice Glukhova looked forward to every day isn’t really gone. If anything, it’s louder. Glukhova is back into the pool for good and swimming in honor of her best friend.
‘I think he’s here with us,’ she said. ‘When I got into the water (at Seton Hall), I remember his face and voice. He was saying, ‘Come on, you can do it. You have to swim. It’s your job.’ That’s why I won two of my events. I didn’t expect that from myself. I think I won because of him.’
The past three weeks have been a tumultuous tear-filled mirage for Glukhova, but her teammates have helped her from the get-go. The day Belyy died, Glukhova arrived to practice late and told the news to Syracuse head coach Lou Walker. From inside the pool, her Russian teammate, Alex Taraskin saw this conversation. Glukhova approached him, they exchanged words in Russian, and he jolted out the pool to embrace her.
Immediately after practice, Glukhova’s teammates drove her to a local Russian Orthodox Church to pray – a trip they did for the next couple days. They knew the distance from her family combined with the permanent distance from Belyy was beyond overwhelming for the sensitive Glukhova, who puts pictures of her family on her bed stand at hotels during road trips. Her parents were also swimmers and are currently coaches in Russia.
‘I’m proud of her,’ said Syracuse sophomore teammate Katelyn Schumacher, who is from Irvine, Calif. ‘It’s really hard for her to be away from home. I get homesick too, but I can see my parents on holidays. If I could, I’d buy her parents a place to live here.
‘Masha is still thinking about (Alexey) a lot, but she is being really strong about it.’
Belyy, who hails from Rostov On Don, Russia, holds the CSUB school record in the 400-yard individual medley and had realistic Olympic aspirations. After Belyy’s father died, his grandparents became his primary swimming coaches in Russia. Known for his tough exterior, Belyy also had a different, sensitive side that regularly inspired Glukhova.
‘He is an amazing person,’ she said. ‘He helped me with everything, gave me advice and was always happy and energized. He never let me cry or be upset.’
Glukhova’s tears evaporated into a gleam when reminiscing about Belyy’s personality. Transitioning from High School N704 in Moscow to college life across the globe was a culture shock for her. Belyy, who came to America one year before Glukhova, was a constant stress-reliever, only a call away.
‘He was the funniest person in my life,’ said a smiling Glukhova. ‘He always made jokes about everything. He’d say, ‘Oh Masha, your voice is like little girl!’ I’d complain, and he’d say, ‘Come on, you’re 19 years old.”
CSUB swimming and diving head coach Morgan Bailey said Belyy endured an adjustment period himself. The athletic mindset drilled daily in America is not as prevalent in Russia, Bailey said.
‘Frankly, (Alexey) was very new to the team concept,’ Bailey said. ‘He didn’t have that in Russia. It’s unique in the U.S. But this season he was really starting to latch onto that. He began cheering for his team more. It was nice to it happen. Alexey even commented to me many times how he valued the team concept. He had a reputation for being very stoic…but he brought a lot of humor to the team.’
Several hundred people attended Belyy’s memorial service on Jan.18, which was highlighted by a video tribute that can be seen on YouTube. The school is currently raising money for Belyy to be buried in his native country. Burials in Russia are very specific and costly, ranging from $15,000 to $20,000.
Belyy is the third collegiate swimmer to die this season. Patrick Michael Woehnker, a 19-year-old freshman at Wabash (Ind.) College, died in October from severe injuries after falling from the rooftop of a campus building. Clemson freshman Amy Moxie, 18, collapsed while jogging on campus and later died.
It was hard for Walker to find words describing the magnitude of such tragedies.
‘You see it in athletics from time to time in every sport, and certainly the swimming community is not immune,’ Walker said. ‘It’s so tragic and so unexpected. It’s a tremendous loss to family and friends, and it’s unbelievably tragic for young people to lose their collegiate experience.’
Through his 32 years at SU, Walker has encountered several deaths in his extended swimming family, with most being deceased grandparents. He said a ‘physical outlet’ is the best medicine in such stressful situations.
‘(Masha) is certainly a very sensitive young lady and a long way from home,’ Walker said. ‘It was very difficult for her. I told her that you honor those that mean the most to you by being the best person you can be. … (Instead of) sitting on the couch or laying in bed, sometimes it’s better to get back into your regular routine and do the things you value.
‘You want to move forward, but never forget.’
As Glukhova exited Ted Webster Pool following the Syracuse women’s tight 154.5-139.5 loss to Villanova, she dipped her head down, brought her right hand to her eyes and fought back tears. The 10 calls per day have ceased, and Glukhova is back into her normal routine. But the relationship lives on.
‘I don’t want to say Alexey ‘was my best friend,” Glukhova said, ‘because he is my best friend.’
Published on February 4, 2008 at 12:00 pm
