Ukraine triathlon champions prepare at Sydney 2000 Olympic Complex in Izvorani

The triathlon champion team of Ukraine, formed of 8 athletes and two coaches, are preparing this period at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Complex in Izvorani, southeastern Ilfov County, alongside the Romanian athletes from the national lot, the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR) informs on a social media site.

"The war caught the components of the Ukrainian triathlon champion team in the training camp and could no longer return to the inferno in Kharkiv. Now, they have arrived to train at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Complex in Izvorani. The Ukrainian team, which consists of 8 athletes and 2 coaches, arrived in Izvorani through the Romanian Triathlon Federation and will remain for centralized training alongside the Romanian national lot. The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee will cover the costs for preparing the Ukrainians, in accordance with COSR Executive Committee's decision," according to COSR's Facebook page.

The Ukrainian delegation reached Romania before Easter and was impressed by the reception in Izvorani, as well as the training conditions. They said that all team members no longer have homes following the bombing in Kharkiv. The mother of a Ukrainian athlete, who arrived from Germany and recovered her child, said that the parents of the athletes are fighting on the front. One of the Ukrainian coaches said that another member of the team, a 15 year old boy, is captive in Kharkiv, and solutions are being sought out in order to bring him to Romania.

The athlete with the best results from the Ukrainian delegation is Darina Moskalenko, national champion in the Elite category and hope for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

"The Ukrainians are excited about the way they were received and the attention that they are being treated with in Romania. They are now practice partners for the 25 members of Romania's National Lot. Among the "tricolours" that are in Izvorani there is also Carol Popa, 15 years old, who recently occupied 8th place in the Yenisehir European Cup. Popa is one of the youths that hope to qualify for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028, along with Raul Petre, Ariana Chis or Delia Dudau. The Romanian coaches, Simone Diamantini - coordinator coach, Cristi Doicescu - lot coach and Gai Constantinescu - second coach, are the ones who collaborate with the Ukrainian team on a daily basis. AGERPRES