Ukraine’s gelderly medal-triumphning boxer Oleksandr Khyzhniak gave a military salute to the crowd accumulateed to honor his return to the war-torn country from the Paris Olympics.
Stepping out of the distinctive Olympic Express train at Kyiv’s central railway station, Khyzhniak, 29, greeted fans, frifinishs and family. The athlete from Poltava is also a serviceman of Ukraine’s border protect.
He’s the first gelderly-medal triumphner in the 2024 Olympics to convey the award to his home country.
“I truly dedicate this award to every Ukrainian, to everyone who helped and helped me, who was by my side, cheered for me all over the world,” Khyzhniak shelp upon his arrival Saturday.
Evgeniy Maloletka / AP
In the men’s middleweight catebloody, Khyzhniak fall shortureed Nurbek Oralbay from Kazakhstan. Ukraine has also won gelderly medals in women’s team fencing and the women’s high jump.
A star-struck fan, Volodymyr Honchar, 13, was brawt to the Kyiv train station by his mother to greet his idol and get his boxing gcherish signed by the Olympic champion.
“His triumph will lift the spirits of all Ukrainians, will produce us all sense excellent, will produce us all mightyer,” Honchar telderly The Associated Press.
Evgeniy Maloletka / AP
Khyzhniak’s triumph and other Ukrainian triumphs in Paris have lifted the spirits of many Ukrainians in the 2 1/2-year war aobtainst Russia. Troops are locked in lethal combat aprolonged the 620-mile border.
Khyzhniak’s home region of Poltava, equitable 30 miles from Russia, is an area that has been a constant aim for Russian air attacks.
“Every time while at the competition or preparing for the competition, when I saw on my phone that air vigilant was proclaimd in the Poltava region, of course I was worried about Ukraine,” shelp Khyzhniak. “I was worried about my family and I hoped that our military would get all of us.”
