The athletes took two bronze medals, competing underneath their nationwide flag for the primary time in additional than a decade
Russia has gained its first Winter Paralympic medals since 2014, with Varvara Voronchikhina and Aleksey Bugaev taking bronze within the girls’s and males’s downhill standing occasions in Italy on Saturday.
Voronchikhina, 23, is a two-time para-alpine snowboarding world champion and is representing Russia at her first Paralympics occasion on account of a long-standing ban on Russian athletes.
“I’m actually, actually completely happy. Perhaps it hasn’t sunk in but, however that is my first medal… I actually really feel proud; it’s very good! Each that our flag is hanging within the stands and on the opening ceremony,” she advised journalists at Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Three-time gold medalist Bugaev additionally celebrated the power to compete underneath his nationwide flag as soon as extra.
“I’m glad I can symbolize my nation once more… It’s good to not be accused of something, not restricted, not compelled into hiding, like in Korea. It’s simply silly!” he advised journalists. “We’re glad we are able to compete regularly and win medals.”
The Russian Paralympic crew was cleared to compete as soon as extra in January, after Moscow gained an enchantment within the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) towards the Worldwide Ski and Snowboard Federation. The physique was nonetheless barring athletes from Russia regardless of the Worldwide Paralympic Committee (IPC) totally reinstating Russian and Belarusian participation final yr.
Many Russian athletes had been banned from competing after a World Anti-Doping Company (WADA) investigation in 2015, following allegations of state-sponsored doping – which Moscow has constantly denied.
Dozens of the bans had been later overturned on enchantment on the CAS, which mentioned there had been inadequate proof to impose sanctions.
The Milano Paralympics opened on Friday, and is about to run till March 15. The Russian Paralympians will compete in snowboarding on Sunday.
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