In Pyeongchang played the first set of awards in the skeleton, and the Ukrainian debutant games 19-year-old Vladislav Geraskevich took 12th place. This is still the best achievement of our athletes at this Olympics, says the TSN. 19:30.

The national team of Ukraine for skeleton is a man: an athlete and coach, they are the same son and father. With the only Ukrainian skeletonist, Geraskevich, we met in Switzerland at the competitions in St. Moritz - it was in this city that the skeleton was born. This sport is more than 100 years old, but in Ukraine it was only learned about it two years ago and it was thanks to Vlad. "I tell you, show what it is and how it is. In fact, this is quite an interesting sport - beautiful and impressive, "he says..

Skeleton - one of the varieties of toboggans, which uses a special sled frame with steel skids. The athlete controls them with thorns on the toes of the shoes. He quickly overclocked on the flyover, and then only a few centimeters from the ice rushes down. "It is important to defeat your fear. It's important not to be afraid. Because if you are afraid, you will never have a result, "says Geraskevich. "The descent lasts from 50 seconds to a minute, and the slightest mistake in a half second and second can lead to a loss at the finish of 10-20 positions in the final protocol," adds his father Michael.

In the last world stand Vlad Vlad is the 24th - and this is for four years that he is engaged in skeletons and competes with big teams from China, Russia, Germany and other countries.. There, in the development of this sport, the state and sponsors invest hundreds of thousands of dollars. The development of the Ukrainian skeleton is primarily a matter for these two men. At the competition, they travel all over Europe on an old car and replace each other at the wheel so as not to spend money on spending the night in hotels. In Canada and the United States are looking for the cheapest air tickets. They train sometimes even in the corridors, live in the cheapest removable apartments, prepare themselves food for themselves.

Michael for the athlete is not only a father and coach, but also a cook, a masseur, a nutritionist and a technician. Preparing the skeleton for the competition is a separate piece of jewelry. "Only one skate, lasts about five hours, depending on how much they are damaged from previous competitions," explains Mikhail Geraskevich. Every mistake, and then touching the board, Vlad feels on himself - the shoulders of the athletically built youth are wider than the bumpers, so the pain and bruises are indispensable companions of descents. Vlad can withstand everything, although its speed can exceed 140 kilometers per hour. "This is when you can not breathe or move, nothing. Presses, as if his own weight is increased six times, and presses into ice. Such a sport, "explains the coach..

Every competition and every new descent Vlad uses as a precious experience and not only his own, but also for the future of the Ukrainian skeleton. The fact that he represents Ukraine at the Olympics is already an achievement. And his Vlad dedicates to a man who is always near. "To his father, because this is his work.

Probably 70% is his job, he was always with me, at all times, in difficult, victories, joys and not entirely joy - he was always there and always helped, "says the skeletonist. Mikhail himself dreamed of performing at the Olympics when he was doing bobsleigh, and now he is doing his best to realize his son's Olympic ambitions. "It was an unrealized dream. I do not want in any way that the son realizes my dream, I want my son to realize his dream, and more than once visited the Olympics, "Father confessed.

TSN correspondent Natalya Fibrig.