Ukrainian athlete takes home first gold of 2024 Paralympics in athletics

The Ukrainian national team achieved the first "gold" medal in athletics at the 2024 Paralympic Games in the T12 class long jump event. This medal was Ukraine's 20th at the Games in Paris.

Suspilne reports this.

Long jumper Oksana Zubkovska took the lead with a first jump of 5.64 meters, according to Suspilne.

Oksana took home the gold in her fifth attempt at a distance of 5.78 meters, setting a new personal record for the season. The closest competitor, Spanish athlete Sarah Martinez, fell short at 5.40 meters.

The athlete has won five Paralympic Games for the long jump and holds the world record in her category at 6.60 meters since 2012.

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The 2024 Summer Paralympic Games will be held from August 28 to September 8, 2024, in Paris at the same venues used for the Olympic Games.

This year, Ukraine is represented by the largest delegation in its history — 140 athletes in 17 out of 22 sports.

At the opening ceremony, the Ukrainian flag was carried by fencer Olena Fedota-Isaieva and rower Roman Poliansky.

At the previous competitions in Tokyo, Ukraine took 6th place in the medal count, having won a total of 98 awards, 24 of which were gold.