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Anastasiia Laletina, 19, opted not to compete in the biathlon middle-distance sitting race after hearing the news, team spokeswoman Nataliia Harach told the AFP.
According to Harach — who alsoconfirmed the situationtoUSA Today— Laletina is now resting and receiving support from the team’s doctor.
Despite the heartbreaking news for Laletina and the ongoing situation in their home country, the Ukrainian athletes are performing well in the 2022 Beijing Paralympics. Ukraine hasnow risen to second placein the overall medal count, with six golds and 17 total medals, only behind China with eight golds and 27 total medals.
On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Iryna Bui, Oleksandra Kononova, and Liudmyla Liashenko were victorious in the standing middle-distance biathlon race. “We are here to fight for Ukraine, with Ukraine and in the name of Ukraine,” Bui, 26, told AFP reporters in Beijing.
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After the victory, Suiarko toldThe Guardian, “I am happy, but you know the situation in Ukraine. Very hard concentration is needed in biathlon and I missed twice because yesterday my house where I live, it was bombed and destroyed.”
With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyycalled for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy vowed not to bend.
“Nobody is going to break us, we’re strong, we’re Ukrainians,“he told the European Unionin a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, “Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness.”
To learn more about all the Paralympic athletes, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Paralympics airing now on NBC.
source: people.com
