Paralympics kick off, Ukraine captain: 'Every medal is for our homeland at war'

It was supposed to be a celebration of the Paralympics for the 35 representatives (25 athletes and 10 guides) of the Paralympic National Team of Ukraine, but instead the war pursued them here as well with the readmission of Russians and Belarusians to the competitions with anthem and flag.

For a Ukrainian it is unacceptable to share a podium with one of them. Grygorii Vovchynskyi, the 37-year-old captain of the national team, has a flat, steady voice: "Today, representing my country means being part of a strong nation that faces the enemy every day. Everyone has to fight at their place and I am here ready to give my best in the biathlon and cross-country skiing competitions. Each of us will be responsible to ourselves and our country."

That every medal is more than a personal success was reminded by Vovchynskyi himself when, in Beijing 2022, with the Russian invasion only a few days away, he won gold in the biathlon and barely held back tears on the podium.

Ukraine has a prestigious tradition in the Paralympic world: in Paris 2024 it was seventh in the medal table, in Beijing 2022 second (29 medals) behind the unreachable hosts China (61).

Already after independence, in 1991, the country started the Invasport project, to bring the culture of sport for people with disabilities throughout the country, and did so with regional sports start-up centres. Thus, year after year, the national team has grown and even in the Paris 2024 parade it was the most applauded: 'We feel the support of the world,' concludes the captain. 'Many countries support Ukraine and we hear their voices, your voices. We hear words of encouragement and I feel that you are with us!".