President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the athletes of the Ukrainian national Deaflympics team, which won 19 medals at the 20th Winter Deaflympics in the Turkish city of Erzurum.
The Head of State awarded the games winners and medalists, thanks to whom Ukraine for the first time took the top spot in the overall team medal tally and won a record number of medals.
Zelensky noted that he was honored to congratulate Ukrainian athletes today.
"You add pride to Ukraine, the opportunity to be proud of people, the strength of Ukrainians, and powerful Ukrainian achievements," he said.
The President pointed out that such results contribute to bringing attention back to Ukraine during difficult times of war, especially when it is somewhat out of focus.
"And everyone who earns respect for the Ukrainian character and the Ukrainian state helps us all. They help the people to endure. They help our fighters on the front lines in the fight for our independence," said the Head of State.
The President congratulated the athletes and their coaches on this extraordinary victory.
"Despite all the difficulties, you managed to achieve the top spot for Ukraine. And it's hard to overestimate how important it is today. How important it is for Ukraine to have victories. Because that one victory, for which our boys and girls are sacrificing their lives on the front lines, and the great victory that will surely come, it consists of such important days, such victories as the one you have achieved," he said.
According to Zelensky, such a historic result at the Deaflympics is another proof of how strong our athletes and Ukrainians are, and how the Ukrainian character prevails over any challenges and circumstances.
"I thank all of you for your will to win, for your ability to overcome difficulties, for all the respect that your results have brought to all Ukrainians, to the Ukrainian flag, to the Ukrainian people. I am extremely proud of you. Glory to Ukraine!" concluded the President.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the athletes with Orders of Merit of І-ІІІ class, Orders of Princess Olga of ІІ-ІІІ classes, and the medals "For Labor and Valor."
The champion of the 20th Winter Deaflympics, Yelizaveta Nopriienko, thanked the Head of State for supporting the athletes.
"Thank you for personally congratulating us. We have all done everything possible and impossible to win. I thank the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the government for the opportunity to train and show the best results," she said.
The athletes presented the President with a hoodie from the uniform of the national Deaflympics team.
Volodymyr Zelensky also awarded the coaches of the team with the Order of Princess Olga of ІІ class, medals "For Labor and Valor," and bestowed the honorary title of "Honored Worker of Physical Culture and Sports of Ukraine" upon them, recognizing their significant personal contribution to the development of the Deaflympics movement, the training of international-class athletes, and the achievement of high sports results at the 20th Winter Deaflympics.
The Order of Merit of І class was also awarded to President of the Ukraine Deaf Sports Federation Leonid Kasitskyi.
At the 20th Winter Deaflympics, the Ukrainian team, consisting of 36 athletes, won 10 gold, five silver, and four bronze medals, which is eight more medals than in the previous games. Thus, the Ukrainian team became the world leader in the overall team medal count for the first time in the number of gold medals. In men's and women's events, Ukrainian athletes won 11 medals (six gold, three silver, and two bronze), while in team events, they won eight medals (four gold, two silver, and two bronze).
The national Deaflympics team of Ukraine in skiing demonstrated the best result, winning 13 medals (seven gold, four silver, and two bronze) and taking first place in the overall team ranking.
In curling, Ukrainian athletes won for the first time among the 11 strongest teams and earned two gold and one bronze medals.
In the discipline of mixed doubles curling, athletes Mykhailo Pleskanka and Kateryna Yakymets defeated the team from the Republic of Korea in the final match and won the gold medal.
The chess team won one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal and took second place in the overall team medal count among 16 participating countries.
The women's team won gold in the classical chess games, while mixed teams won silver and bronze medals.
