The passing of Oleksandr Pielieshenko, the Ukrainian weightlifting champion, has sent shockwaves across the sports world. He was a two-time European champion and proudly represented his country at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Amidst the chaos of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the 30-year-old athlete bravely joined the armed forces, a move acknowledged by the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.
Viktor Slobodianiuk, a respected weightlifting coach and board member of the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation (UWF), expressed his sorrow, stating, “War claims the best among us… heroes are immortal.”
Tragically, Pielieshenko lost his life on the front lines, as confirmed by the UWF.
Despite his achievements in sports, such as finishing fourth at the Rio Games in the 85kg category and winning consecutive gold medals at the European championships in 2016 and 2017, his reputation was marred by a doping scandal in 2018, leading to a competition ban.
In a solemn Facebook post, the UWF grieved the loss of the esteemed athlete, announcing, “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Oleksandr Pielieshenko, a distinguished master of sports of Ukraine, today marks the end of his journey.”
The federation extended sincere sympathies to Pielieshenko’s family and all who had the honor of crossing paths with the fallen hero, emphasizing the profound impact of his absence on the Ukrainian sports community and beyond.