A successful start for Ukrainian biathletes at the Paralympic Games in South Korea should inspire the exploits of other athletes who will compete in their disciplines on subsequent days. In addition, to motivate to achieve and called for a record in the domestic history of premiums for medals in 125 thousand dollars for gold, 80 thousand dollars for silver and 55 thousand dollars for bronze, says the TSN. 19:30.
Athletes recognize that this is a weighty money, but they are not the main goal of victories, but only a pleasant bonus. In fact, no means can compare with the sensations when the hymn of your country sounds, and the Ukrainian flag rises above all other flags at the awarding ceremony. Vitaly Lukyanenko, who was the first among Ukrainians to force the Parolympic Pyongchang to listen to "Shche did not die Ukraine", has the experience of many victories - gold became his fifth in his career. After the competition in Sochi in 2014, he even planned to leave the sport, but changed his mind and returned. It Lukyanenko fell honor to carry the flag of Ukraine at the opening ceremony of the Games. Now he has a nice opportunity - to compare which of the won medals is the most beautiful. "I will compare the house, I do not know yet. While only five minutes of her hold. It's all that is new - everything is beautiful. Each medal of each Olympics is beautiful in its own way, and it's good that there are no identical ones, "the champion believes..
Lukyanenko appears in the class of the visually impaired, so he received medals along with the guide. Next on the pedestal, as well as with his assistant, Anatoly Kovalevsky - another Ukrainian with bronze. His first Paralympic award now boasts and Lyudmila Lyashenko, for which the race was very dramatic. In the top ten leaders of the race athletes with hand injuries were immediately four Ukrainians, but only one climbed the pedestal. "I was on the last lap and I was screamed that I was losing a lot to third place. But I came, I looked at the scoreboard - I did not understand a little. I thought it might be a mistake, but it turned out that way, "the prize-winner of the Games.
A real miracle - and the silver of Oksana Shishkova, who had felt the symptoms of the illness the day before, because of what she even missed the opening ceremony, however she managed to overcome the biathlon without a miss. "That's how I get: in Vancouver I was fourth, in Sochi third, then I'm already the second. Maybe someday I will be the first, I will strive! We came to win medals, show that we are athletes, we are Ukraine, and we are a strong country, "says the biathlete..
When Igor Reptiukh finished in his race, there was a late night in Ukraine. The athlete himself is sure: his bronze is already celebrated by his native Chernigov region, and most importantly - his wife, who seemed to be worried, seemed to be forbidden.
"I have a pregnant wife. He says: I'll still get up and look at 5:00 in the morning, I'll get an alarm clock, you'll run and you'll know that I'm watching. Do not, I say, sleep, rest - you have the strength and so little. In the morning I'll call you and tell you everything.. No! I knew she was watching. I do not know, at home, probably, they will kiss me, "says the bronze medalist of the Paralympic Games Igor Repyukh.
TSN correspondent Svyatoslav Grinchuk.