Synchronized swimming, Italy saves Ukraine’s synchronisers

The Ukrainian synchronettes are among the best: 2 Olympic bronzes, 1 gold and 5 world bronzes, 3 golds and 2 European silvers to say only the latest great events. Their names are Vladyslava and Maryna Aleksiiva, Marta Fiedina, Kateryna Reznik, Anastasiya Savchuk, Kseniya Sydorenko, Yelyzaveta Yakhno, Alina Shynkarenko. They were preparing the new events of 2022: the June World Cup in Budapest, the August European Championships in Rome. But war broke out in Ukraine. And you can’t train, on the contrary you have to save your skin. Run away. Repair elsewhere, possibly abroad.

Towards Italy

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Providential, today, the initiative of the Italian Federnuoto which has activated a “rescue” operation: the synchro swimming team is on its way to Italy, it will arrive at the federal center of Ostia. Departed from Lviv, passed the border of Beregsurány passing through Mukachevo, arrived in Budapest and left for Rome with Fin. President Paolo Barelli, also leader of FI in the Chamber, who on February 27 expressed readiness to the Ukrainian Ambassador in Rome Yaroslav Melnyk to host Ukrainian athletes in federal centers, says: “After the international talks we received the request for help from the Ukrainian Synchronized Swimming Federation; in recent days we have worked to identify together the least dangerous route and the most suitable means to facilitate escape from the country. The situation is in full evolution, therefore it is difficult to accurately predict how many athletes will be able to reach the border and when to estimate the arrival in Rome. We hope that the journey will continue without unforeseen events and that on Monday afternoon the team will be able to arrive at the federal center of Ostia ”.

Quota

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There are eight athletes and two technicians who left from Lviv; two other athletes are trying to reach the border via Chernivtsi. A third group, made up of athletes and technicians who left Kharkiv, have lost track and are trying to restore contacts. “There is growing concern – Barelli continues -. The athletes we are waiting for at the border are divided into three groups because not all of them managed to reach Lviv which was the meeting point identified by the Ukrainian federation – continues Barelli – We hope that they all arrive at the border. However, we are ready to organize even more trips if necessary to ensure their transport to Italy. Our availability is little compared to the sacrifices and difficulties that the Ukrainian people are facing. Many athletes are fighting for freedom. We hope to see them in the tank soon. In the meantime, we offer them hospitality and the means to leave the war behind and we take the opportunity to train together to grow each other “.