"I Want to Become an Olympic Champion," Says 7-Year-Old Ukrainian Olexandra Pascal, Who Survived Russian Missile Strike and Lost Her Leg

Oleksandra Paskal, an eight-year-old Ukrainian gymnast who was awarded the Courage in War award from the Children-Heroes campaign, a participant in the Vienna Ball in Kyiv, and a winner of the gymnastics championship in Chornomorsk, continues to go to the Olympic Games and dreams of becoming a champion.

"I train on a par with the girls. No one feels sorry for me. I want to have a dog. I want to become an Olympic champion," said Oleksandra.

Little Olexandra Pascal lost her leg as a result of a Russian strike on the village of Zatoka in May 2022. After the missile hit, the child was trapped under the rubble but was rescued. Later, she was fitted with an individual bionic prosthesis. 

Later, the athlete returned to rhythmic gymnastics and ballroom dancing. She actively participates in Ukrainian tournaments and even wins awards. The girl even managed to win a rhythmic gymnastics competition.

Last year, French artist Fanny Levevalier created a collage with 7-year-old Ukrainian gymnast Oleksandra Pascal, who lost her leg. The artist posted the work on Instagram. The artist recreated the porcelain girl sitting back to back with Sasha using AI and Photoshop. An additional accent added by the artist is the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

As a reminder, Russian and Belarusian athletes were suspended from international competitions due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, in December 2023, the International Olympic Committee announced that it had allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympics in a neutral status. Thus, the representatives of the aggressor countries will compete only in individual events and as "neutral athletes" without the anthems and flags of their countries and will not participate in the opening ceremony. 

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus to the 2024 Summer Olympics under a neutral flag, which is currently taking place in France, "half-sanctions".

For his part, the head of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Matviy Bidnyi, reminded that since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 490 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by the Russian army.