On Wednesday, Ukraine secured its third gold medal at the Paris Olympics, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to express his gratitude on social media.
Ukrainian middleweight boxer Oleksandr Khyzhniak clinched the gold medal by defeating Kazakhstan’s Nurbek Oralbay 3-2 in an exhilarating final match at Roland Garros.
“Another gold medal for Ukraine at the Olympics in Paris! Boxer Oleksandr Khyzhniak has claimed first place,” Zelenskyy shared in a post on X following the match.
“Thank you for your strength, your confidence, and this significant victory! We continue to support all our athletes. We cheer for Ukraine, we cheer for Ukrainians!”
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Referee Muhammad Pohan raises Oleksandr Khyzhniak’s hand to declare him the winner of the men’s 80-kilogram semifinal against Arlen Lopez Cardona from Cuba on day nine of the Paris Olympics. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Khyzhniak joins compatriots women’s high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh and fencer Olga Kharlan in securing gold medals for Ukraine in Paris, bringing the nation’s total to eight medals.
Wednesday’s victory represents a moment of personal and national pride for Khyzhniak, who was on the verge of winning the middleweight gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, only to be stunned by a punch from Brazil’s Herbert Sousa that left him with a silver medal.
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In the wake of that defeat, Khyzhniak’s nation was invaded, claiming many of his teammates’ lives.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, shortly after the conclusion of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has continued unabated for over two years, five months, and two weeks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy listens during a meeting with Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, in Kyiv, on April 1, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
Ukraine has sent only 140 athletes to the Olympics this year, the smallest representation in the country’s history at the Summer Games, as hundreds have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict.
A tribute featuring sports equipment was exhibited at Parliament Square in London to commemorate the 487 Ukrainian athletes killed since Russia began its invasion. Among those honored were Oleksandr Pielieshenko, a weightlifter from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and 11-year-old rhythmic gymnast Kateryna Diachenko, who tragically lost her life in March 2022.
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Gold medalist Oleksandr Khyzhniak of Ukraine stands on the podium during the men’s boxing 80-kilogram medal ceremony following the finals on day twelve of the Paris Olympics. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine just days after the conclusion of the 2022 Winter Olympics, the International Olympic Committee deemed this action a breach of the Olympic truce—an agreement that calls for all nations to cease hostilities starting a week before the Olympic Games and concluding a week after.
As a result, Russian athletes are prohibited from competing under their national banner in Paris but are allowed to participate as “individual neutral athletes.”
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