Olympic swimming champion, 31, in critical condition after sparking house fire when she was 'refilling her fireplace'

Published: 10:04 EST, 9 November 2026 | Updated: 10:04 EST, 9 November 2026 A Russian two-time Olympic synchronised swimming champion is in a critical condition after her clothes caught fire at her Moscow flat.Maria Shurochkina was rushed to hospital with horrific burns after the incident involving a bioethanol fireplace at her four-bedroom apartment on the 17th floor.Doctors are battling to save the 31-year-old amid fears of potentially fatal complications including burn shock, dehydration and infection.Her condition, which was first described as 'moderate', was upgraded to 'serious', according to Russian Telegram channel Mash.According to reports, the 11-time world champion had been attempting to refill the fireplace but had failed to turn it off before pouring flammable liquid into it, with her clothes catching fire as well as her surrounding belongings and furniture.During the evacuation, residents heard screams and crying and found the injured Olympic champion on the stairs. Doctors are battling to save the 31-year-old amid fears of potentially fatal complications including burn shock, dehydration and infection Shurochkina is one of Russia's most decorated athletes, winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020According to neighbours, she had managed to escape the burning apartment on her own, but was in severe shock and unable to speak before she was rushed to Moscow’s Sklifosovsky Emergency Research Institute.A resident posted a video from the scene showing smoke billowing from Maria's apartment and firefighters entering the building shortly afterward. 'Rumour has it our neighbour is completely burned. May God bless her,' he wrote on social media.Another said: 'We opened the door, and she rushed at us. She was crying and screaming, "It hurts!" 'Apparently, she was lighting something; she had a bottle in her hand, and it burst into flames. Her arms, her stomach, her face were all burned.'According to the report, the burns cover 32 per cent of her body surface, with her head, neck, chest, abdomen, arms and hands severely damaged.Shurochkina is one of Russia's most decorated athletes, winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.Vladimir Putin awarded her the Order of Friendship in 2016 and the Order of Honour in 2021 for outstanding sporting achievements. According to the report, the burns cover 32 per cent of her body surface, with her head, neck, chest, abdomen, arms and hands severely damaged Vladimir Putin awarded her the Order of Friendship in 2016 and the Order of Honour in 2021 for outstanding sporting achievementsSince retiring from competitive swimming, Shurochkina has pursued a career in entertainment, appearing in aquatic theatre productions.Her half-sister, Nyusha, is one of the country's biggest pop stars. The pair appeared on reality television show Treasures of the Emperor in 2025, which they won.The Russian Aquatic Sports Federation confirmed Shurochkina’s hospitalisation and said it had contacted both the hospital and her family.'We wish Maria strength and a speedy recovery,' it said. 'The Federation will continue to monitor the situation and provide any assistance needed.'