Ukrainian Athletes Send Powerful Message to Their War-Torn Country
GANGNEUNG — Ukrainian athletes at the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games are sending a message of hope to the people in their war-ravaged homeland.
A total of 44 athletes have competed under the Ukrainian flag at Gangwon 2024, with the team winning a silver medal in men’s skeleton and a bronze in women’s 6km sprint biathlon.
“It’s very important for our people to see the flag and hear the anthem here with everything that’s happening,” Ukrainian curler Artem Shlyk said. “We’re proud to represent Ukraine in these Olympic Games.”
Just getting to the YOG in South Korea was a challenge for many of the athletes as a result of the continuing war back home.
Shlyk, 16, and Marharyta Lytvynenko, 17, who competed in the curling mixed doubles event, had to move out of Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
“I lived some time in Spain and Marharyta in Germany,” Shlyk said. “The rest of the curling team is training in Scotland. We moved to Tallinn (Estonia) and we live with our coach.”
They hope their presence at the YOG will inspire their compatriots in Ukraine.
“They see us playing and they will think ‘OK, life is continuing’,” Shlyk said. “So if sport is improving and sportsmen are training, they can see it as an example to keep going.”
Fifteen-year-old Ukrainian ice dance athletes Sophia Rekunova and Denys Fedyankin recalled how attacks disrupted their training.
“There was no electricity,” Rekunova said. “The ice wasn’t cold enough, and the rink started to melt.”
In addition, they faced mental challenges in coping with the impact of the war.
“Mentally, I just couldn’t focus on skating anymore,” Rekunova said. “I kept thinking, ‘Oh my God, there is something flying over here. So maybe something (bad) might happen.’”
Rekunova and Fedyankin, who finished 11th in the ice dance competition, are thinking about those back in Ukraine.
“You are very strong people,’’ Rekunova said. “You are the bravest, the strongest people.”
She also had a message for the rest of the world.
“The war isn’t over,” Rekunova said. “Please keep supporting Ukraine.”
