Sedakov aiming to dance his way onto the podium

Wheelchair dance sport is the sport where everything is very important. Not only your physical abilities, your stamina and your sports equipment, but also your mood, your feelings, your emotional state and your body”.

Russia’s Maksim Sedakov is relishing the chance to dance his way to gold on home soil at September’s 2015 IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Cup in St. Petersburg, and will use the upcoming Kazakhstan Open in Astana from 17-19 April to begin his campaign.

The introduction of singles competitions in 2014 opened up a whole new world of possibilities for the Russian, who garnered publicity online for breakdancing in his wheelchair.

He won a silver medal in the men’s singles class 2 at the European Championships and finished the season as World No.1.

“I like the new categories in wheelchair dance sport,” Sedakov said. “In singles an athlete shows full technical skills of using the body and a wheelchair. Freestyle is even more challenging because the athlete here should live in his own dance, in his own character.”

His interest in the sport began after losing his left leg in a car accident at age 10, and after starting out performing in a dance ensemble in school.

“I love this sport”, explained Sedakov. “I love this feeling of the competition and I like to come to the floor, where you should present yourself in a best way. Wheelchair dance sport is the sport where everything is very important. Not only your physical abilities, your stamina and your sports equipment, but also your mood, your feelings, your emotional state and your body”.

Sedakov’s 2015 campaign begins on 17 April when the competitive season opens with the IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport Kazakhstan Open, in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia, runs from 3-7 September and will be the first World Cup event in the sport’s history.