As the world transitions from the Olympic spectacle to the Paralympic stage, Ukrainian athletes, famed for their Paralympic prowess, are ready to shine once more despite the ongoing Russian aggression unleashed in their homeland.
The 2024 Paris Paralympic Games will begin with the opening ceremony on August 28, featuring over 540 medal events across 22 sports.
The Ukrainian squad is 140 Paralympians, represented in a record 17 sports to compete in a wide range of events, from para-athletics and para-shooting to para-swimming and sitting volleyball. Two new sports, bocha and handbike racing, will mark Ukraine’s debut. Team Ukraine trains relentlessly, preparing to make a powerful impact in Paris.
Why is the Ukrainian Paralympic team so good?
Ukrainian Paralympic athletes have a storied legacy of success. At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, they secured 98 medals, including 24 golds, and finished sixth overall. This success was no surprise—it continued Ukraine’s strong Paralympic tradition since its debut in 1996. The country first made its mark in 2004 by placing sixth, followed by back-to-back fourth-place finishes in 2008 and 2012, and an impressive third in 2016.
The Ukrainian team was relatively small at the 2020 Paralympics—138 athletes—especially compared to 242 from the USA, 227 from the UK, and 255 from China. The key to such outstanding performances is a nationwide system of recruitment and training.
The Ukrainian Youth and Sports Ministry, alongside the Paralympic Committee, has launched Invasport, a state organization with branches nationwide, which includes sports and rehabilitation clubs, and youth sports schools for children with disabilities. Invasport scouts talent across the country, offering specialized training at various facilities. Ukrainian athletes not only train together but also live and bond, forging a unified and determined team. This system enables Ukraine to develop a deep pool of talent from all regions, avoiding reliance on a single recruitment base.
Meet Ukraine’s Paralympic athletes
Several accomplished athletes are leading Ukraine’s Paralympic delegation. Table tennis stars Maryna Lytovchenko and Viktor Didukh have earned their places at the Games with stellar performances at the 2023 European Para Championships. Lytovchenko clinched gold and Didukh silver at the Tokyo Paralympics, and both are primed for a strong showing in Paris. Taekwondo powerhouse Yuliya Lypetska, fresh from her gold medal win at the 2024 European Qualification Tournament, is ready to showcase her fierce fighting spirit.
The largest Ukrainian Paralympian team will compete in swimming—37 athletes strong, including recent European gold medalists Oleksandr Komarov, Anton Kol, and Iryna Poida. Six athletes from Cherkasy, including two-time Paralympic champion Oleksandr Doroshenko (javelin thrower) and world champion Roman Danyliuk (shot putter), compete for the gold. Danyliuk, who is currently training Ukrainian veterans, aims to win a gold medal and dedicate it to his newborn daughter.
Denys Bytchenko and Roman Pryshchepa led the charge for the Ukrainian sitting volleyball team in Dali, China, “orchestrating a spectacular comeback after their narrow defeat to the USA in the preliminary round,” earning their tickets for the Paris Games.
The “Volyn Five"—athletes from Ukraine’s Volyn region—will proudly represent their country across para-rowing, para-athletics, para-powerlifting, and para-canoeing. Meanwhile, Lviv region’s Pavlo Bal is set to make history as the first Ukrainian athlete to compete in Paralympic hand cycling.
The road to Paris 2024
The journey to the Paralympics has been fraught with challenges for the Ukrainian team. Athletes and their coaches prepare for competitions despite the Russian full-scale invasion and tough conditions. Displacement, disrupted training, and the emotional toll of war have all tested their resolve. Yet, their dedication to their sport and their country remains unshaken. The national team includes members who survived the brutal Russian occupation, like the para swimming athlete Danylo Chufarov from Mariupol, whose house was destroyed by the Russians.
“I was prepared to die in Mariupol,” he said in the BBC interview.
These stories are just a glimpse into the extraordinary courage of Ukraine’s Paralympic team. As they prepare to step onto the world stage in Paris and win, they carry with them the hopes and dreams of their nation, ready to showcase the indomitable spirit of Ukraine.
Valerii Sushkevych, President of the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine, underscores the importance of their presence.
“Our participation is a fight for Ukraine’s victory in Paralympic sports and a stance against the aggressor nation,” he said.
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