Russian athletes have seized the chance afforded them by these Winter Paralympic Games, claiming two medals on their return from suspension. But as the action came to a close on the opening day, it was Ukraine who led the medal table.
The return of Russia to international competition under their own colours has dominated headlines at Milano-Cortina. Bronze medals for two world champion Alpine skiers – Varvara Voronchikhina and Aleksei Bugaev – in events that are not their strongest will only increase the scrutiny. However, a dominant day in the Nordic events, including a clean sweep in the men’s biathlon sprint, means Ukraine’s pledge to “be strong” at these Games has begun in convincing fashion.
Russia’s flag has not been seen at a Paralympic Games or shown on a medal table since Sochi 2014, because of the country’s state-sponsored doping scandal and then the invasion of Ukraine. But Voronchikhina claimed a podium place in the second Alpine event of the Games, finishing third in the women’s standing downhill event. Under blue skies and amid big crowds on the Tofane slopes, she finished 2.47 seconds behind Sweden’s gold medal winner, Ebba Aarsjoe, and promised more to come.
Asked about competing under her own flag, Voronchikhina said: “It’s a really long time when we were without the flag. All my country and all my teammates, we [are] glad. I’m very happy because it’s [the] first medal for me. It was a bronze, but I’m really happy. I hope I will be skiing better in (the) next races.”
Voronchikhina is set to compete in four more events in her category, as is Bugaev, who won bronze in the men’s downhill standing race. Bugaev said he was proud to have helped put Russia on the medal table. “I’m happy, I suppose,” he said. “I won the medal for my country, for Russia. I’m happy to represent my country.”
Russia’s six athletes – with four more competing in snowboarding – are to be based at the Cortina hub of these far-flung games. The Ukrainian team, meanwhile, are situated some 50 miles away in Tesero, where the Nordic events are based, and where the team remained during Friday’s opening ceremony after boycotting the event because of Russia’s involvement.
On Saturday, Ukraine’s athletes made the strongest possible start, with Taras Rad claiming gold in the men’s sitting sprint in para biathlon. This was quickly followed by gold and bronze for Oleksandra Kononova and Liudmyla Liashenko respectively in the women’s standing sprint. The final Nordic event of the day was a clean sweep for Oleksandr Kazik, Iaroslav Reshetynskyi and Anatolii Kovalevskyi in the men’s visually impaired sprint.
“Glory to Ukraine,” said Kononova. “I would like to dedicate my victory to all the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian army because nowadays in Ukraine it’s difficult times. We have a war and Ukraine is fighting. We are also trying to represent Ukraine as much as we can. I’m really happy that today I have a gold medal so we will have the anthem of Ukraine here.”
Kazik said his team had visualised finishing on the podium together before the Games began. “We were joking and laughing and saying it would be very nice,” he said. “In para biathlon Ukraine is one of the strongest teams, but when we start our competition we need to compete and be strong. Not only to beat the other teams but also for ourselves to be strong. We’re happy that we could bring this victory for Ukraine and be strong for Ukraine.”
There were six medal races overall at the Cortina hub, with wins for both of Austria’s indomitable siblings, Veronika and Johannes Aigner, in the women’s and men’s VI downhill, respectively. Aigner J forced the home nation favourite Giacomo Bertagnolli into third place, although the pair are set to compete against each other again repeatedly over the next week. In Tesero there was also a first gold for Oksana Masters, the USA’s star athlete claiming her 20th Paralympic medal across summer and winter games as she won the women’s sitting sprint in the biathlon.
ParalympicsGB did not win any medals on the opening day, but could take hope from some decent performances. Neil Simpson and his brother Andrew finished just behind Bertagnolli in the VI downhill, which will hopefully serve as a springboard for the pair’s preferred event, the Super G, which they won in Beijing.
James Barnes-Miller also remains in contention in the men’s snowboard cross for athletes with impacted upper limbs, ranking fifth before Sunday’s finals. In the mixed doubles wheelchair curling, Jo Butterfield and Jason Kean scored their most impressive victory yet in the round robin stage, thoroughly beating world champions Japan 11-2 in seven ends.
