A 40-member Ukrainian team has also been seen at the Youth Olympic Festival in Vuokatti. Getting Ukrainians to Finland required efforts from several Olympic committees.
Emma Hyyppä,
Mika Halonen
The Ukrainian team also got to compete in Sotkamo, even though the country is in the middle of a war.
Long-distance skater Jaroslav Morozov, 17, says it is a very fascinating experience to be competing in Vuokatti. The young man praises the Finnish audience, which has encouraged and supported him in the competitions. Ukrainian flags have been shown in the stands and Ukrainian athletes have received strong encouragement.
Morozov traveled with his mother, who also coaches him, first to Poland and from there to Ukraine. The father of the young skater, on the other hand, remained in the homeland to fight.
– I have been worried about the war, but I am very proud of my father, who is in Ukraine, in the army and is protecting our home.
When Morozov left for Poland, he did not yet know that he would be able to compete in Finland. He took his gear with him for safety. From Finland, he returns to Poland, like many other Ukrainian athletes, to his temporary home.
– I would like to thank Finland and also the Polish Olympic Committee, who have helped us to participate in these competitions.
He wants to send greetings to his homeland that those fighting for Ukraine are heroes.
– I want to say that I am very proud of them. They are very strong. They believe in victory.
“Without young people like us, there is no future”
17-year-old long-distance skaters Jelizaveta Sidorko and Ksenia Adamenko say they get unforgettable experiences from the Olympic festivals.
A few weeks ago, however, racing didn’t make sense. Sidorko had to dig in the shelter for two weeks.
– We went to the shelter every day. Sometimes we had to sit there for two hours, sometimes for four hours, even for two nights. There was no opportunity to practice. It is difficult to participate in competitions when there has been no proper training.
Adamenko says his family, apart from his mother, is in Ukraine. Her mother is in Hungary.
Adamenko hopes to see his mother soon. Last they have seen at five in the morning on February 24, the athlete remembers. On that day, Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine.
You can see the video of the interview with Sidorko and Adamenko in the main picture of the story.
Sidorko and Adamenko say their families have remained safe so far, but it’s hard to read the news and understand what’s going on at home. However, they are happy to be able to compete in Finland, and their families know they are safe.
– We try to focus and not think about the situation during the race. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out for me. It is difficult, admits Adamenko.
– Without young people like us, our country has no future. We must support our country.
The CEO of the Olympic Committee praises Kainuu’s business life
– On behalf of the entire European Olympic family, I am happy and happy that the Ukrainian team is here, says the CEO of the Finnish Olympic Committee Mikko Salonen.
The size of the Ukrainian team, including coaches and guardians, in the EYOF competition is about 40 people.
Salonen says that the Olympic committees of several European countries worked closely together to give Ukrainian youth the opportunity to compete in Vuokatti.
– In addition, Finnish business life, especially here in Kainuu, has been enabling the costs associated with participation in the form of financial support.