Former MMA fighter, 30, dies a hero after saving four girls from drowning in one of world’s deepest lakes
Former mixed martial artist Medet Zheenaliev has died aged 30 after reportedly rescuing four girls from a dangerous current at Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, in what became the final act of his life.According to reports from The Sun, the incident happened on May 12 while Zheenaliev was spending time with friends at the lake, located in the popular tourist village of Baktuu-Dolonotu, in his home country.Reports stated that four girls had entered the water when one of them was pulled into difficulty by a strong current. Zheenaliev and a friend immediately entered the lake to help bring the girls back safely to shore.While all four girls were rescued successfully, Zheenaliev never resurfaced after going underwater during the rescue attempt.Divers later recovered his body following a search operation at Lake Issyk-Kul, which is regarded as the seventh-deepest lake in the world, with depths reaching approximately 2,192 feet. The lake is also the second-largest saline lake globally after the Caspian Sea and is recognised among the world’s largest lakes by surface area.The incident was reportedly classified as a drowning during a rescue mission.Zheenaliev competed professionally in mixed martial arts between 2017 and 2019, compiling a 2-2 professional record across four bouts, primarily fighting in Russia.He made his professional debut on September 23, 2017, at Fightpro’s Battle for the Belt event in Moscow, defeating Vladimir Kravchuk via first-round armbar submission just 2:08 into the fight.Six months later, he followed that performance with another first-round finish when he knocked out Shamil Temirkhanov at Battle on Volga 3.His next appearance came at Road to M-1 on April 7, 2018, where he lost via second-round rear-naked choke submission against Akhmadkhan Bokov.After nearly 16 or 17 months away from competition, depending on the report, Zheenaliev returned for what became the final fight of his career at GFC 16 against Makkasharip Zaynukov, with doctors stopping the bout after the opening round.Reports also noted that he had been scheduled to compete in a fifth professional fight against Samray Shaykhamodov in September 2019, although that contest was later cancelled for unspecified reasons.Tributes have continued emerging online following news of his death, with many focusing not only on his fighting career but also on the circumstances surrounding his final moments, which reportedly involved rescuing four young girls from the dangerous conditions in the lake.
