In Ukraine, Grygorii Vovchynskyi is already regarded as a living legend of para biathlon. The 38-year-old won his seventh Paralympic medal in biathlon this March and has already set his sights on competing until at least 2030. Yet as he begins another Paralympic cycle, he does so against the backdrop of a war that has transformed everyday life across Ukraine. For elite athletes, as well as for millions of their fellow citizens, the conflict has become an inescapable part of daily life, bringing challenges that extend far beyond sport.

Training Through War

The Ukrainian para biathlon team trained in Passo Lavazè, Italy, in July and is currently holding a training camp in Otepää, Estonia. Much of the team's summer preparation now takes place abroad, as the war has taken a heavy toll on Ukraine's sports infrastructure.

"Many stadiums, swimming pools and training centres have been damaged or destroyed. One of them was the ski base in Chernihiv, where our team used to compete at the Ukrainian Championships. Competitions had to be cancelled or postponed. More than 800 sports facilities have been damaged or destroyed. It's terrible," Vovchynskyi says.

Training abroad comes at a price. Every training camp and competition now begins with a long journey out of Ukraine. Because Ukrainian airspace remains closed, the team can only fly from neighbouring countries, so they must first travel by bus or car to reach airports elsewhere in Europe. As a result, every trip takes significantly longer than it did before the war.

"Border crossings are another challenge. I remember one occasion when our team bus spent 13 hours waiting to cross the border," he recalls.

Checking the News First

Vovchynskyi says life changed completely on February 24, 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale aggression against Ukraine. Since then, everything has been divided into "before" and "after". He describes the psychological burden as the greatest challenge, explaining that many people in Ukraine live in a constant state of alert, always ready to react to whatever might happen next. Even while away at training camps, athletes worry about their country and about loved ones living under the constant threat of attacks.

The beginning of Russia's invasion coincided with the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games, where Vovchynskyi served as captain of the Ukrainian team. It became the most challenging, and ultimately the most successful, time of his career.

"During the full-scale invasion, our team produced the best performance in the history of Ukrainian winter sports. As team captain, I knew I had to lead by example, and that's exactly what happened. My motivation was definitely greater than usual. The sense of responsibility was stronger than ever. It was frightening and incredibly difficult, but we showed our character and proved what we were capable of. That's the character of our country and our people - we keep fighting, no matter what," Vovchynskyi recalls.

The Biggest Mistake

At Milano Cortina 2026, the Ukrainian added another Paralympic medal to his remarkable collection, claiming silver in the Sprint Pursuit. He looked destined for gold after leaving the shooting range with a 10-second advantage over Jiayun Cai. Vovchynskyi entered the stadium first but failed to notice the Chinese athlete launching his final attack. Cai swept past him only metres before the finish line.

"It was the biggest mistake of my entire career. I remember how exhausted I was. I can't turn back time, so today I'm grateful to my team, my fans, and the silver medal I won," he admits.

The disappointment of narrowly missing out on gold was softened by another memorable moment. Just fifteen minutes earlier, his wife, Iryna Bui, had also won silver in the same event.

"Before the Paralympics, we prepared together, stayed at the same training camps and helped one another. So it's probably no surprise that we both won silver medals on the very same day - clearly, training together worked! I think we're a great team, helping each other grow both in sport and in life beyond it," he says with a smile.

When the Snow Melts

Their partnership doesn't end when the snow melts. Back home, Vovchynskyi and Bui are regular mixed doubles partners on the tennis court, a sport that has become an important part of his training routine and one of his greatest passions.

"Tennis helps me train, makes me stronger and keeps me in good shape for the winter season. I regularly play in weekend tennis tournaments, usually playing around five matches, which can add up to four hours on court. It's a sport that inspires me and constantly demands focus, precision and endurance. One of my biggest role models is Roger Federer. I admire his composure, the way he analyses the game and the way he deals with defeat," he says.

No Intention of Slowing Down

His teammates call him a legend - and with good reason. Vovchynskyi, who competes in a standing category, has been collecting Paralympic medals since Vancouver 2010. His biathlon tally now stands at two gold, three silver and two bronze medals, while his set of Para Biathlon World Championship medals has already reached double figures. At 38, he has no intention of slowing down.

"I think the secret to success is staying calm and knowing exactly what you're doing when it matters most. You work on every detail in training, and then you do the same thing in competition. There's no need to change anything or invent something new. Stay calm, trust yourself, and perform the way you always do. I've now spent 19 years in professional sport, and for at least the last ten of those I've had to find new motivation every single season to keep going. It's not easy to find the energy for racing, for demanding training camps and for all the hard work that eventually brings results. Now I'm looking ahead to 2030, and after that we'll see," he concludes.

His next challenge awaits on August 23 at the City Biathlon in Dresden. Paired with visually impaired athlete Romana Lobasheva, Vovchynskyi will race against two German duos - Johanna Recktenwald and Marco Maier, Leonie Walter and Lennart Volkert - as well as the Czech-French pairing of Carina Edlingerova and Karl Tabouret.

Photos: IBU | Krystek, IBU | Wlaźlak, IBU | Barbieri, Grygorii Vovchinsky's private archive