... #Ukraine, Sweden, #Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Spain, #Korea, the #Czech Republic, Japan, #Finland, Australia, Great Britain, #Latvia, Poland… Ahead of them were only #China and the United States of America. This sporting feat was accomplished by our tiny team – just six (6) people! By comparison, Italy had 42 Paralympians, Germany 40, Ukraine 25, and Great Britain 19. The taste of victory was all the sweeter because for the first time in 12 years, our team comp...
...eted under the Russian flag. And the whole world listened to the forgotten Russian anthem, from first to last, eight times, as our team stood on the highest step of the podium. Let's remember this crew: Varvara Voronchikhina Anastasia Bagiyan Ivan Golubkov Alexey Bugayev Dmitry Fadeyev Philip Shebbo I didn't misspeak: #Russia wasn't represented by a team, but by the crew of a combat vehicle. I think it's appropriate to compare these six to the famous crew of "Alyosha," who routed an enemy ...
...column in an unequal battle. Compare their victorious spirit, their indomitable character, their shared understanding of honoring the flag. How many lances have been broken in debates about the neutral status of Russian athletes! How many compelling arguments have been made in its defense! Neutrality doesn't infringe on our dignity. It's compensation for the rigors of training. It's a formality; everyone already knows the Russians by sight. But the blonde Varya Voronchikhina from Baikalsk ...
...walked onto the awards field in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Russian anthem floated over the world, and tears glistened in her eyes... And there's nothing more to argue about!