140 Ukrainian Athletes to Compete in 17 Sports at the XVII Summer Paralympic Games in Paris
Tomorrow, on 28 August 2024, the XVII Summer Paralympic Games will begin in Paris, France, running until 8 September. Ukraine will be represented by 140 athletes competing in 17 out of the 22 sports featured in the Games. The largest contingent of Ukrainian Paralympians will participate in swimming, with 37 athletes, followed by 28 in athletics.
This year's Ukrainian team is one of the largest in its history, comprising athletes from 19 regions of Ukraine, including the city of Kyiv, highlighting the national significance of the team. Much of the team's preparation took place at the Western Rehabilitation and Sports Centre in Yavoriv, Lviv Oblast, where the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine provided all the necessary facilities for training athletes with disabilities.
This marks the eighth Summer Paralympic Games in which Ukrainian athletes will participate. Below is a breakdown of Ukraine's team by sport:
- Badminton (2 athletes): Oksana Kozyna, Oleksandr Chyrkov
- Boccia (2): Artem Kolinko, Nataliya Kononenko
- Rowing (6): Anna Aisanova, Dariya Kotyk, Yaroslav Koiuda, Roman Polyanskyi, Stanislav Samoliuk, Anna Sheremet
- Cycling (2): Pavlo Bal, Yehor Dementiev
- Sitting Volleyball (12): Anatolii Andrusenko, Denys Bytchenko, Ruslan Horiakin, Oleksandr Drapak, Yurii Kovalchuk, Yevhenii Korinets, Dmytro Melnyk, Maksym Petrenchuk, Andrii Pryshchepa, Roman Pryshchepa, Andrii Sikalianskyi, Oleksii Kharlamov
- Goalball (6): Rodion Zhihalin, Vasyl Oliinyk, Fedir Sydorenko, Anton Strelchyk, Oleksandr Toporkov, Yevhenii Tsyhanenko
- Judo (6): Anzhela Havrysiuk, Anastasiia Harnyk, Yuliia Ivanytska, Oleksandr Nazarenko, Nataliia Nikolaychyk, David Khoraava
- Athletics (28): Includes athletes such as Vladyslav Bilyi, Oksana Boturchuk, and Roman Danyliuk, among others.
- Canoe Sprint (5): Vladyslav Yepifanov, Andrii Kryvchun, Nataliia Lahunenko, Mariia Mazhula, Mykola Sinyuk
- Triathlon (1): Alisa Kolpakchy
- Powerlifting (4): Yurii Babynets, Anton Kryukov, Nataliia Oliinyk, Kostiantyn Panasiuk
- Swimming (37): Includes athletes such as Yevhenii Bohodai, Yurii Bozhynskyi, and Roman Bondarenko, among others.
- Shooting (6): Oleksii Denysiuk, Andrii Doroshenko, Vasyl Kovalchuk, Iryna Lyakh, Vitalii Plakushchyi, Iryna Shchetnik
- Archery (4): Serhii Atamanenko, Vasyl Naumchuk, Ruslan Tsymbaliuk, Anna-Viktoriia Shevchenko
- Table Tennis (9): Viktor Didukh, Oleksandr Yezik, Lev Kats, Nataliia Kosmina, Maryna Lytovchenko, Ivan Mai, Maksym Nikolenko, Vasyl Petryniv, Iryna Shynkarova
- Taekwondo (1): Yuliia Lypetska
- Wheelchair Fencing (9): Includes athletes such as Yevheniia Breus, Anton Datsko, and Andrii Demchuk, among others.
During the qualification events for the 2024 Paralympics, Ukrainian Paralympians frequently encountered Russian competitors who participated under a neutral flag. Ukrainian athletes openly demonstrated their stance by raising a clenched fist in protest and refusing to engage in any ceremonial actions with Russian athletes. This gesture has become a symbol of protest against Russian aggression and a show of support for the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom. Some event organisers even threatened to disqualify Ukrainian athletes for these actions, but the Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee successfully defended their athletes.
This year, 549 medal events will be contested at the Paralympics, nine more than in the previous Games in Tokyo. Around 5,000 athletes with disabilities from over 160 countries will participate, making these Games one of the largest sporting events in the world.