FROM KHERSON TO BERLIN Oleksandr is now in Berlin representing Ukraine. He overcame really difficult tests on the way to the Special Olympics. Oleksandr Khorunzhak is from Kherson. On February 24, 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine, his city was under occupation. He and his family lived in the basement, as the city was under fire all the time. The boy's mother recalls the hardship of those moments: “Oleksandr started having panic attacks. He didn't understand why he had to sleep dressed in the basement and not in his bed in his pyjamas”.
A SURVIVOR Together with his mother, Oleksandr survived three months of occupation in Kherson and went to rallies against the invasion of the Russians. Oleksandr's eyes always burned with a special brilliance, says the boy's mother. "It was painful to look at the fact that my son's eyes did not have a shine, he did not smile." So the family decided to leave Kherson and move to a safer place. They moved first to Ivano-Frankivsk, then to Odessa, where he was preparing for the Special Olympics. Most often - without the necessary equipment and special platforms, during air alarms and missile attacks.
UKRAINE MESSAGE TO THE WORLD Together with Oleksandr, there was another girl who was meant to be part of the Special Olympics - Maria from Nova Kakhovka. Unfortunately, she could not get out of the occupation and she was replaced by another athlete from Kherson. Coach Ihor Velychko made a lot of effort to prepare the Ukrainian team. In Berlin, Kherson’s athletes want to draw the world's attention to the disaster that happened with the Kakhovska HPP, the dam recently blown up by the Russians. And, of course, they strive to present their city and country well.
PROUD OF HER SON Oleksandr's mother shows her pride: “My son is very disciplined. He doesn’t need to be reminded about training. He knows that he must train, do morning exercises, working on strength”.
It is my first meeting with this hard-working champion, before separating Oleksandr and I “high five”, while he’s giving me his best smile. I am more convinced now a person is happy only when can to do what he or she loves.
