Paris 2024 Olympics - Boxing - Men's +92kg - Victory Ceremony - Roland-Garros Stadium, Paris, France - August 10, 2024. Gold medallist Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan poses with his medal. REUTERS/Peter Cziborra
PARIS (Reuters) - Twice gold medallist Bakhodir Jalolov on Saturday thanked medical staff from the British team for their help in treating Uzbekistan coach Tulkin Kilichev when he suffered a cardiac arrest on Thursday.
Kilichev was celebrating Hasanboy Dusmatov's win over Billal Bennama in the men's flyweight boxing final when he required assistance.
"Two members of GB Boxing's medical team have helped to save the life of the Uzbekistan boxing head coach after he suffered a cardiac arrest at Paris 2024," Team GB said in a statement.
"Doctor Harj Singh and physio Robbie Lillis were the first to respond when Tulkin Kilichev was celebrating a gold medal for Uzbekistan's Hasanboy Dusmatov in the warm-up area at Stade Roland Garros on Thursday suddenly went into cardiac arrest.
"Singh performed CPR whilst Lillis was able to use a defibrillator to bring Kilichev back to consciousness."
The body added that Kilichev was taken to hospital and is in stable condition.
"He is my personal coach. He is a great coach. He is very good now. Thank you very much for all the help that the doctors have given in France," Jalolov told reporters after his win over Spain's Ayoub Ghadfa in the men's super heavyweight final.
"Now he feels better. He is fine. And of course, thanks to the doctors from England, because it was the English who helped first, until the other doctors came. Thank you very much for all this help.
"He is always in contact. Before and after the fight, we were always on video. He was with me in my heart. Tomorrow we will all go together to see him at the hospital."
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Paris; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
