News

The competitions of the 9th Summer European Youth Olympic Festival in Belgrade finished on 27 July 2007.
Young Olympians represented our country at this continental forum with dignity having won 8 gold, 6 silver and 4 bronze medals. So Ukraine took 5th place among 49 participating countries.
Our athletes won 15 medals during two last competition days. The performance of Valentyna HOLENKOVA (gymnastics) can be called, without any doubts, breathtaking and fantastic. She was the best in all round competition and the next day she won gold medals in uneven bars and beam and silver medal in floor exercises. We would like to remind that two days before our small hero from Kirovograd region together with her team members Anastasiya KOVAL and Valeriya SAVELYEVA had won team competition.
The performance of Mykyta NESTERENKO (athletics) has become a real triumph in discus throw. His recent victory and world record at 5th IAAF World Youth Championships in Ostrava (Czech Republic) inspired him to new achievements. There was nobody equal to him and the only question was if Mykyta will set up a new world record. Before his last attempt and being already the winner of the competition Mykyta Nesterenko achieved the result of 72.31 m and established a new world record in discus throw for joniors. He beated his previous record of 71.95m. Mr. Sergey BUBKA, IOC Member, NOC of Ukraine President and Olympic Champion, congratulated the new athletics champion and record holder and gymnastics triumpher by phone.
Other representatives of the “Queen of Sport” did not reach the highest pedestal step but their performance was successful. They have won three silver medals: Ganna KHABINA (javelin throw), Dmytro SAVYTSKYY (shot put), Olha BIBIK (800m) and and two bronze medals: Olha ZEMLYAK (400m) and Oksana OKUNYEVA (high jump).
Judo athletes competed under the slogan “No day withoupt medals”. During 2 competition days Roman PASKAR (-55kg) and Artem VORONA (-60kg) won silver and bronze medals respectively. The next medal, gold one, was taken by Ivanna MAKUKHA (-70kg) and on the same day Dmytro LUCHIN (-81kg) won bronze medal. During last competition day Ukrainian judo athletes added one more gold medal to their victories. It was won by Iryna KINDZERSKA (+70kg).
The gold medal of Artem YATSENKO (tennis) was logical conclusion of his victories over tennis players from Cyprus, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland. In final he defeated his competitor from Italy (6-4, 6-1).
Anna YEVCHAK won the only medal in swimming, silver, at 400m medley.

NOC President Mr. Sergey BUBKA sincerely congratulated young champions and medal winners and wished them every success on their way to sport Olympus.
Atheletes representing 49 European countries competed in 11 sports (athletics, cycling, gymnastics, judo, swimming, tennis, table tennis, volleyball, handball, basketball, water polo). Young Ukrainian athletes (born in 1990-1993) participated in 8 listed sports.