"It's a really long time when we were without the flag, and I'm really glad [now]. All my country and all my teammates, we [are] glad. I'm very happy because it's [the] first medal for me. It was a bronze, but I'm really happy."
"It's nice when you're not deprived of anything, not restricted, not forced to not reveal yourself, like it was in Korea [2018], for example, when they combined the two colours of our flag. We're just happy that we can compete here on equal terms."
"It was a difficult medal, I would say, even one of the most difficult of my career. But I am very happy that I can represent my country again and bring home a medal so that the flag can fly."
Russia returned to the Winter Paralympics medal table after 12 years with bronze medals from Varvara Voronchikhina in women's downhill standing and Aleksei Bugaev in men's downhill standing at Cortina. The Russian flag had been absent from Paralympic competition since Sochi 2014 due to state-sponsored doping sanctions and the Ukraine invasion. Voronchikhina expressed pride competing under her national flag and anticipates competing in four additional Alpine skiing events. Bugaev, a three-time gold medallist, described the medal as emotionally significant after years of restrictions. Russia sent six athletes to these Paralympics following the International Paralympic Committee's decision to overturn its ban on the country.
#winter-paralympics #russia-medal-return #alpine-skiing #paralympic-sanctions #international-competition
Read at www.theguardian.com
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