Women’s fencer Olga Kharlan scored Ukraine’s first medal of the 2024 Olympics and she celebrated the bittersweet journey that got her there.
“I can say that I wouldn’t change anything,” Kharlan told reporters after beating South Korea’s Choi Sebin 15-14 and earning a Bronze medal.
“What I went through, it represents my country, what it goes through, and I wouldn’t change anything. This is my story,” added the 33-year-old saber fencer.
‘I dedicate this medal to Ukraine, to the Ukrainian armed forces, to Ukrainian athletes who couldn’t compete at the Olympics because they were killed by Russia’: powerful words of Olga Kharlan after winning bronze in fencing for Ukraine today #ParisOlympics2024 pic.twitter.com/JcGgzm7gdQ
— Olga Tokariuk (@olgatokariuk) July 29, 2024
Ukraine is represented in Paris, France by the smallest number of athletes in its Summer Games history with only 140 athletes, as a reported 487 Ukrainian athletes have been killed since the country was invaded by Russia in 2022. Because of the ongoing conflict, Russia was not allowed to participate in the event this year.
Kharlan was disqualified from the competition after she refused to shake hands with her Russian opponent during the 2023 World Fencing Championships. She was slapped with a two-month ban and feared that her Olympic aspirations would be derailed as the championship is considered a key qualifier for the international games.
“However, the International Olympic Committee later granted her a ‘unique exception’ and a guaranteed spot in Paris. Fencing’s governing body also rescinded the disqualification and the two-month ban, and even went so far as to pass an official rule that declared handshakes after bouts optional,” Fox News reported.
Her emotional reaction after the bout electrified the crowd.
First Olympic medal for Ukraine earned by Fencing World Champion Olga Kharlan!#Paris2024 https://t.co/imd4Y1SCcw pic.twitter.com/1272vis4LC
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) July 29, 2024
“I brought a medal to my country, and it’s the first one, and it’s going to be a good start for all our athletes who are here because it’s really tough to compete when in your country is at war,” Kharlan said. “Every medal, it’s like gold. I don’t care (that) it’s bronze. It’s gold.”
“Ukraine, I love you, this is for you, my dear, this is for you!”
Olga Kharlan wins bronze in women’s sabre at the 2024 Olympics. This is Ukraine’s first medal at the games. pic.twitter.com/CFIQu4nQCW
— Saint Javelin (@saintjavelin) July 29, 2024
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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