Ukraine Wins First Gold in Athletics and Silver in Rowing at 2024 Paralympics
Ukrainian athlete Oksana Zubkovska won the first gold medal for the Ukrainian national athletics team at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, winning the women's long jump (T12 classification).
At first, Zubkovska led with a jump of 5.64 metres. In her second attempt, she increased her advantage by jumping 5.75 metres. Her winning jump for the gold medal came on her fifth attempt. The athlete reached 5.78 metres, a personal best for the season.
This victory was Zubkovska's fifth consecutive Paralympic gold medal in the long jump. Her winning streak began with her debut at the Beijing 2008 Games. In London 2012, she also set the current world record in her classification with a leap of 6.60 metres.
Ukraine's first medal in rowing at the 2024 Paralympics came from Roman Poliansky, who won silver in the PR1 single sculls. Poliansky retained his second place in the 2000 metres. He finished 10.63 seconds behind the British Benjamin Pritchard, who took gold.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian swimmer Yevhen Bohodayko won a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke at the 2024 Paralympic Games. He finished third in the final, securing Ukraine another podium place. His compatriot Andriy Trusov also took part in the same competition, showing the sixth best time.
Also on 1 September, Artem Kolinko made history and won bronze, winning Ukraine's first ever boccia medal at the Paralympic Games. In the semi-finals, Kolinko met with Colombian Edilson Chica Chica, but suffered a narrow 3-1 defeat. After that, in the bronze medal match, he defeated Croatian Davor Komar.
Earlier, on 31 August 2024, on the third day of the Paris Paralympic Games, Ukrainian athletes won a total of 11 medals. This day was one of the most successful for the Ukrainian national team. Ukrainian Paralympians also took a double podium.
In total, the Ukrainian national team won 23 medals at the 2024 Paralympic Games.
