Winner of Dancing with the Stars dies of cancer

Twenty-eight-year-old dancer Anton Kovalyov, the winner of the 2008 season of TV show "Dancing with the Stars" (Russia), has died. His friends and colleagues said, the young man had been fighting cancer and tried to lead a normal life, but the disease was stronger, says Utro.ru.

Photo: Source: sagalova.ru

Kovalev did not quit his hobby of ballroom dancing until the last day. Many of his friends and colleagues were not even aware of how difficult it is for Anton to do it. Anton's partner in the show, Daria Sagalova, mourns the loss of her friend.

Anton Kovalev won the first prize in 2008 together with actress Daria Sagalova. By his age of 28, he had won the silver medal at the world championship of ballroom dancing, which took place in France in 2004, and a year later, he became a finalist of the World Cup in China. Kovalev taught ballroom dancing to children, Russian News Service says.