Sambo Champion Yana Kostenko Overcomes Panic to Advance in 'Titans' Show
On February 1, the second episode of the sports show «Titans: Battle of the Seasons» (16+) aired on the TV channel TNT. The project featured 99 athletes from across Russia, including sambo champion from Primorye Krai Yana Kostenko. The athlete represented the «orange» team, composed of participants from the first season, which had shown the weakest result after the first episode.
The second stage challenge was held in a team format. The first task was «Ball Pulling». The arena was divided into three sectors, and the participants« goal was to pull a 40-kilogram (88 lb) weight to their side and cross the golden line.
The challenge consisted of two rounds: first, three teams competed simultaneously until one won, then the two remaining teams fought in a one-on-one format. The losing team in its entirety was sent to an additional elimination challenge.
In the first round, victory went to the «gray» team — participants from the third season managed to break ahead, despite a noticeable weight disadvantage compared to their opponents, thanks to a well-structured tactic.
In the second round, the «green» team (second season) confidently and quickly pulled over the «oranges», among whom was four-time world sambo champion from Nakhodka Yana Kostenko.
«The ball was already on the edge, and it was about to hit our partition. But the other teams suddenly started moving in one direction, and the ball almost crossed the opponents» line. I had a panic moment at that point,« the athlete said.
In the third round, the «oranges» again lost to the «green» team.
As a result of the challenges, the teams from the second and third seasons advanced to the next stage without losing any participants. Only representatives from the first season of «Titans» went to the additional challenge «Endless Jumps» to determine five participants who would leave the project.
For Yana Kostenko, this was her first time entering the additional challenges during her entire participation in the show.
«It was my debut — I made it to the additional challenges for the first time. Exciting — yes. Scary — no. I went with the understanding that I would handle it. I knew that 100% some of the girls would leave, some from the heavy weights,» stated the athlete from Nakhodka.
According to other participants of the project, Yana showed a confident, stable result and managed to advance to the next stage of the competition.
As a result, the project was left by:
Anna Logashova — aerial gymnast, world champion in sport aerial ring. In the first season, she also was eliminated after a jumping challenge;
Vera Bondareva — world champion in sport ballroom dancing;
Alina Volkontina — model;
Andrey Dremushkin — fitness trainer;
Irina Alekseeva — UFC fighter, world sambo champion.
The athlete from Nakhodka will continue the fight for 10 million rubles (approximately $110,000 at current rates) in the third episode of the show. Previously, Yana Kostenko participated in the first season of «Titans», where she was close to the final. She was eliminated at the 11th stage and took 24th place.
