Triumph and Tragedy Always Go Side by Side

Women’s trampoline enjoys Olympic status at the Sydney Olympics for the first time, and the representatives of Russia and Ukraine always were the best in this spectacular sport. Our compatriot Oksana Tsyhuliova of Mykolayiv won the silver medal in a dogged struggle against the Canadian Karen Cockborn, but the winner was Irina Karavayeva of Russia, who demonstrated the most complex program. Still Oksana’s coaches Liudmyla and Volodymyr Horzhy should also be proud of our silver cosmonaut’s success.

Saturday was also lucky for Mykola Milchev of Odesa. His victory in men’s skeet shooting was undoubted, 150 points out of 150 possible! This fantastic result shown by Mykola repeated the world record which, of course, cannot be beaten.

The women’s synchronized springboard is a very complicated event. Competitors have to demonstrate precision of lines and complete mutual understanding. The Ukrainian athletes Hanna Sorokina and Olena Zhupina won the bronze, giving way only to the Russian and Chinese duets. Olena was also a favorite for the ten meter springboard but came in only sixth. Another bronze medal, this time in track and field, was brought to the Ukrainian Olympic squad by Kyivan Olena Hovorova. In the triple jump she showed the result of 14.96 meters, only 5 centimeters short of the silver.