A Night of Glory Painted in the Shadows of Ukraine War
The Parisian night glittered, but inside the stadium, a different story unfolded. Here, bathed in the bright lights of the Stade de France, a trio of Ukrainian athletes – Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Iryna Gerashchenko, and Mykhaylo Kohkan – painted a poignant picture of resilience.
Mahuchikh, the high jump gold medalist with her signature blue and yellow eyeliner mirroring the colors of the Ukrainian flag draped across her shoulders, embraced her bronze-winning compatriot, Gerashchenko. He, a hammer thrower, still had his own competition ahead.
“I prayed,” Kohkan would later reveal, the weight of his dual role evident. “I pleaded , ‘Can I please stay in the medals?’ The dream was to join them on this magical Olympic night.” Thankfully, his throw of 79.39 meters secured him the bronze, sparking a shared grin between him and Gerashchenko, who, like him, had finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics. “We did it! Happy day!” they declared, a brief moment of pure joy amidst the lingering shadows of war.
This triumph wasn’t just about medals. It was about a nation’s spirit, a testament to Ukraine’s unwavering strength. In this Parisian coliseum, these three athletes became symbols of hope, their performance Ukraine’s finest hour at the Olympics with a total of three medals, including a gold. Thousands of miles away, in the war-torn country, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed the nation’s pride. “We are incredibly proud!” he declared. “Thank you for this result.
The celebration, however, was short-lived. Backstage, away from the cheering crowds, the weight of the war pressed down on them. Surrounded by reporters from around the world, Kohkan, despite his easy smile, couldn’t hide the worry lines etched on his forehead when asked about returning to the frontlines.
Beside him, Gerashchenko broke down, her voice trembling as she spoke of loved ones fighting and lost. “Friends fighting, friends who died… it’s very hard,” she choked out. “This medal is for them. They are the reason I can be here.”
Mahuchikh, her voice wavering with emotion, called the moment “incredible,” yet tinged with an indescribable sadness. “In Ukraine, people are being killed,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “Almost 500 athletes have died…” Even on this, the “biggest night” of her life, Mahuchikh couldn’t escape the constant worry for her family back in Dnipro, a city hammered by relentless attacks. “The war continues,” she sighed
Their “best” came at a heavy price. Among former Soviet bloc nations, Ukraine had emerged as a sporting powerhouse, second only to Russia. But war had shattered their lives, forcing them to flee their homes and restart their training regimens in foreign lands. Many wondered if Ukraine’s sporting spirit could survive.The answer, at least for now, was a resounding yes. Despite the unimaginable circumstances, Ukraine, with its 142 athletes, stood tall with an impressive six medals, including two golds. Each medal, each athlete, carried a story etched in the fires of war.
Since the invasion began, hundreds of Ukrainian sporting facilities had been reduced to rubble. Stanislav Oliferchyk, a diver, had been forced to completely revamp his training schedule after the aquatic center in Mariupol, his hometown, was bombed by Russian forces. The tragedy ran deeper. Valentyn Vozniuk, a revered track and field coach who had nurtured generations of athletes including Olympic bronze medalist Anna Rhyzykova, was one of the 46 people killed when a missile struck an apartment building in Dnipro.
The war had started with a terrifying bang. A loud explosion, captured on camera, had turned her hometown into a warzone. Despite the constant sirens and blasts, she initially fled to a nearby village with her coach, living in fear, rushing to the basement every time the sirens wailed. By March 6th, 2022, she was forced to leave her country altogether, embarking on a grueling three-day, 2,000-kilometer journey to Belgrade, where she now trains, Gerashchenko’s escape from Kyiv was no less harrowing. With her husband and dog in tow, they left everything behind, including her.
