Olga Kharlan was not included in the Ukrainian national team for the 2026 European Fencing Championship. The tournament in France will be held without the most titled Ukrainian athlete, and the team’s entry included London 2012 Olympic champion Yana Shemyakina, who turned 40 this year.

The composition of the national team was formed following the results of the Ukrainian Championship, which ended on June 1 in Kyiv. In the women's saber, Harlan is absent from the entry due to pregnancy.. In early June, the athlete announced that she was expecting her first child by posting photos on Instagram..

For Harlan, this is the second major international tournament in a row that she has missed after a break in her career.. After the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the Ukrainian took a long break, did not participate in the training camp of the national team and was engaged in individual training. At a certain period, she also helped the national team as a coach-consultant..

Instead of Harlan, Yana Shemyakina will compete in the team for the continental championship. London 2012 Olympic champion returns to the European Championships for the first time since 2022. Then the Ukrainian team won bronze in the team competition.

Senior coach of the national team Bogdan Nikishin explained the choice of an experienced athlete by the need to strengthen the team before defending the title.

" Yana gives a great testimony.

So, she hasn’t appeared in team meetings for a long time, and this is evidence that this is a factor that can help the team,” Nikishin said in an interview with Suspilna. Sport"

Shemyakina herself noted that she finally received a place in the lineup after the team’s application was approved.

" I will try to perform as best as possible,” said the Olympic champion.

The European Fencing Championships will be held in France from June 16 to 19. After it, the main start of the season will be the World Championships in Hong Kong, which will take place from July 22 to 30..