Ukrainian wrestler Iryna Koliadenko won the silver medal in women’s wrestling in the 62 kg weight division at the Olympic Games in Paris on Aug. 10.
Koliadenko lost the final match 12-1 against Japan’s Sakura Motoki, who won gold.
The result marks Koliadenko’s second Olympic medal after winning bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2020, and Team Ukraine’s highest achievement in Olympic wrestling since 2024.
Motoki entered the Paris Games as the world’s reigning vice-champion. The world’s top-ranked wrestler, Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan, lost to Koliadenko in the semifinals on Aug. 9.
Tynybekova tied with Norway’s Grace Jacob Bullen for the bronze medal in the finals.
Ukraine is currently 21st in the Games‘ overall rankings, with three gold medals, five silver medals, and four bronze.
Ukraine’s national team also won two medals in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Paris Games. Parviz Nasibov became a silver medalist in the 67 kg weight category, and Zhan Beleniuk won bronze in the 87 kg weight division.
Ukrainian athletes who will never have a chance to compete at the Olympics
Audiences from across the world tuning into the Olympics kicking off with this Friday’s opening ceremony in Paris should, as they enjoy the show, be conscious of why Ukraine will not be fully represented this summer – and at future athletic competitions. Among the tens of thousands of Ukrainians ki…
