Paris Olympics 2024: Ukrainian boxer sacrifices his dream for his motherland

Paris Olympics 2024 is set to begin in Paris, France. Every sportsman always considers the Olympics as a dream. However, this year, 22-year-old Maksym Halinichev - the Ukrainian boxer, will sacrifice his dream to save his motherland from the Russian invasion.

Halinichev made headlines in the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires by winning the silver medal. His next step was the Paris Olympics, and that silver medal gave him a plan for the future. However, destiny had different plans for Halinichev as Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022.

It was an unexpected event for Ukrainians with Maksym Halinichev and his family. Halinichev - like other athletes, signed to serve his nation. The dreamer and one of the most promising boxing prospects from Ukraine was killed at the front in March 2023, and his plan with his dreams ended right there. The Paris Olympics won't see Halinichev in the ring.

During an interview for the Ukraine Boxing Federation website in December 2021, Maksym Halinichev expressed his interest in joining the army if Russia advances to Ukraine. On fear, Halinichev expressed his philosophy and said:

"Fear can influence people in various ways. Some people are paralyzed by it. Some react by becoming more liberated. If you can control yourself and your body and if you can set yourself the right way, then the fear will retreat.”

The body of Maksym Halinichev is yet to be recovered. The sacrifices of him and 400 other athletes will be remembered by the Ukrainians for a long time. His absence will be a major void in Ukraine's boxing division.

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Ukraine's top high jumper breaks world record in lead-up to Paris Olympics

Yaroslava Mahuchikh - the best high jumper from Ukraine, made a world record on Sunday right before participating in the Paris Olympics. This makes her a primary contender for the gold medal in the upcoming games. Mahuchikh recorded a mark of 2.10 meters, erasing the mark of 2.09 made by Bulgaria's Stefka Kostadinova 37 years ago.

Due to the war in Ukraine, Mahuchikh left Dnipro - her hometown. Like other Ukrainian athletes, She has completed her training in foreign countries and considers Ukrainian sports as a ray of hope for the nation. The 22-year-old hopes to win a medal for the people who are fighting the war in her country.

“We all are fighting for our people, for our soldiers,” she said last month after defending her European title. [H/T NBC News]

She desires to inspire and send a message to the rest of the world that Ukraine is not finished and the people of the country will continue to fight.