President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with athletes of Ukraine’s national Paralympic team – champions and medalists of the XIV Winter Paralympic Games held in Italy – and awarded them state honors.
The Head of State thanked the athletes for their victories and emphasized that Ukraine is proud of each and every one of them.
“Ukraine is grateful to you for once again showing the whole world who you are, who we are, what Ukraine is – a nation of unbreakable people. Ukrainians have a unique will; Ukrainians are strong; Ukrainians are winners in spirit,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The President stressed that Ukrainian Paralympians have achieved important results despite the war and the unfair pressure from the International Paralympic Committee, which allowed Russian athletes to participate in the competitions.
“None of this has broken you, and that is what matters most. You are stronger than all of it. At these Games, our flag was raised again. Importantly, our national anthem of Ukraine once again sounded in victory. All of this unites Ukrainians around two emotions: pride and gratitude,” the Head of State emphasized.
The President awarded the Paralympians and their coaches the Orders of Merit, I–III class; the Order “For Courage,” III class; the Order of Princess Olga, II–III class; the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, V class; the medal “For Labor and Valor,” and conferred the honorary title “Honored Worker of Physical Culture and Sports of Ukraine.”
At the XIV Winter Paralympic Games, held on March 6–15, Ukrainian athletes won 19 medals: three gold, eight silver, and eight bronze. Ukraine placed seventh in the overall team standings and third in the total number of medals won. The most medals were earned in para biathlon and para cross-country skiing: Oleksandra Kononova (one gold, one silver, and three bronze), Taras Rad (one gold, two silver, and one bronze), and Oleksandr Kazik together with his guide Serhii Kucheriavyi (one gold and two silver).
