Donetsk, Sep 29 - DAN. Donetsk People’s Republic athletes took part in international competitions as members of Russian teams, the DPR Youth, Sport and Tourism Ministry told the Donetsk News Agency on Tuesday as it highlighted their successful performance.
Marina Galyadkina who attended the Children and Youth Sports School of Olympic Reserve repeatedly won gold in synchronised swimming together with her Russian teammates. In May 2016, DPR fighter Alisa Mizhiritskaya won two gold medals at the European karate championship hosted by the Serbian town of Nis. She was a member of the Russian team, too.
"Vladimir Pankratov was invited to join the Russian sitting volleyball team for persons suffering from locomotive disability, while swimmer Dmitry Chudakov became a member of Russia’s Rostov region team," the DPR Youth, Sport and Tourism Ministry said.
Viktor Alyoshin, a participant in triathlon competitions, joined the Moscow-based club Tristar. “Thanks to the support from our Russian colleagues, Alyoshin took part in a long distance event under the flag of the International Triathlon Union at the world triathlon championship in Spain in April 2019.
“Now that the citizenship and Russian passport issues have been resolved, our athletes have got a huge chance to take part in qualifying events as members of Russian teams in various kinds of sports as well as in world and European championships and Olympic Games,” the Ministry said.
Earlier reports said that DPR athletes had stepped on the winners’ podium at competitions abroad nearly 5,000 times since 2014.*jk