Nine-year-old Oleksandra Paskal, the young athlete who lost her leg to a Russian missile strike in May 2022, has captivated the world again by winning a bronze medal at the Rizatdinova Cup 2025. Defying unimaginable odds, the gymnast returned to the podium at the all-Ukrainian rhythmic gymnastics tournament, proving that willpower can transcend the most brutal physical trauma.
Tournament organisers hailed the young girl, known affectionately as Sasha, as the «true face» of the competition. «This small, tender girl showed the whole world what courage and strength really mean,» the organisation stated, thanking her parents and coach, Inga Kovalchuk, for raising a role model for both children and adults.
From the rubble to the podium
Sasha’s journey back to the mat is nothing short of miraculous. On 16 May 2022, a missile tore through a recreation centre in the Odesa region, burying the then seven-year-old under concrete ruins. She spent 15 days in a medically induced coma, battling a fractured arm, broken ribs, and severe head injuries.
«The worst part was that the slab crushed her leg,» her mother, Mariia, recalled. «Despite the doctors’ best efforts, they couldn’t save her little leg and had to amputate.» After months of agony and rehabilitation in Austria, Sasha learned to walk with a prosthetic limb in just two months.
Training in bomb shelters
Driven by a singular dream to compete again, Sasha returned to training in March 2023. Like many Ukrainian athletes, she often practised in underground bomb shelters to stay safe from ongoing strikes.
Her resilience has turned her into a national icon. Olympic medallist Anna Rizatdinova expressed her pride on Instagram, stating: «This participation, and this victory alone, is worth as much as all our Olympic medals during the years of independence. Thank you for inspiring us and teaching us to rejoice in every day.»
