Trapeze artist collapses and dies as she leaves ring after 'taking drugs to stay skinny'

A 22-year-old acrobat with the Great Moscow State Circus collapsed moments after leaving the ring and died later in hospital. It has been reported that talented performer Vlada Morozova had been taking weight loss medication to keep her at 40kg.

In her final video she is seen performing an illusion trick. She is the third and final artist to appear from a box at the start of the show, before later performing her trapeze act. She showed no sign of problems as a male performer helped her off the apparatus, and she gave a small jump before running out of the ring in front of an audience of children and their parents. Seconds later she collapsed unconscious, dying three hours later in hospital.

‌Her death has stunned Russians who are huge circus fans. Reports said the initial cause of death was hypoglycemia - a low blood sugar level. Russian reports said she took medication to control her weight at 40kg. News outlet 112 reported: “The tightrope walker weighed about 40 kilograms and took medications to help her lose weight."

Legendary circus director Edgard Zapashny, 47, said: “There is a tragedy in our Great Moscow Circus. Just now, in the intensive care unit of the First Gradsky Hospital, a very talented young artist, Vlada Morozova, a graduate of our circus school, passed away.”

‌He continued: “Doctors will figure out why such a young girl's heart suddenly stopped. But we, the artists, all the staff of the Great Moscow Circus, are just horrified. This should not happen. Parents should not bury their children.” “Vlada’s mother is rushing to Moscow now - but she will arrive to her daughter, who has already gone.

"May God forbid such a thing from happening again.” Zapashny said his niece was with Vlada in the illusion stunt and she was “very cheerful, telling funny stories while they were waiting for their appearance in the arena”. Yet as she walked backstage “she suddenly fell, lost consciousness". Zapashny added: “Immediately a man who had been an artist in the circus all his life, rushed forward, and picked her up.”

He shouted for a doctor and carried her to the on-duty medic. Ambulance crews arrived and she went to the Gradsky Hospital, but die there three hours later, with her boyfriend Viktor beside her. Another senior Russian circus figure Giya Eradze said: “I saw and knew this young beautiful woman and artist personally. It is impossible to believe. This is a great sorrow.”

‌Media outlet Plokhie Novosti alleged she had “tormented herself with strict diets and ‘dry out days’" and was "afraid" of putting on weight. It said: "Vlada took medication to avoid gaining weight. Her weight at the time of her death was only 40 kilograms.”

Vlada died on Saturday and the following day’s performance was dedicated to her with a one minute’s silence. "Today's performance was very difficult for us,” an artist told the audience. “We literally held on, and thank you very much for your support. Many of you have probably heard, our circus family yesterday suffered terrible grief. We lost yesterday a young, good artist, aged 22, Vlada Morozova.

"We'd like to dedicate today's performance to her.” Vlada’s mother Natalya Kuzminicheva admitted her daughter was “slender”, but added that Vlada couldn't have harmed herself through the drugs. She said: "She ate well, was cheerful, and couldn't have harmed herself [through medications]."