Turning the pages back... August 16, 1992 (08/11/96)

Turning the pages back...

August 16, 1992

At the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, though Ukraine was still part of the Unified Team, it made a good showing, earning a good portion of that team's medals.

Among those medals were individual golds in gymnastics (Tetiana Gutsu and Tetiana Lysenko, artistic; Oleksandra Tymoshenko, rhythmic) and wrestling (Oleh Kucherenko), and contributions to team golds in the women's 4x400 meter relay in track, men's and women's gymnastics, men's fencing and handball.

There were silvers in the women's long jump, 400 meters and 3,000 meters in track, boxing, men's canoeing, men's fencing, men's and women's gymnastics, and weightlifting; and bronzes in gymnastics and women's team handball, women's quadruple sculls and men's team fencing.

At those Games also, Sergey Bubka was beset by troubles.

Following is an excerpt from The Weekly's story wrapping up Ukraine's performance in Barcelona.

* * *

On Friday, August 7, Bubka complained about the winds, got into an argument with officials about whether he could take his poles with him when he left the stadium, and seemed distracted and unfocused when he did his warm-ups. Then he missed twice in attempts to clear heights of 18-8 1/4, and his single try at 18-10 1/4, more than a foot and a half below the world record heights that he seemed previously able to increase at will. He finished 11th.

However, the lustre was restored to Ukraine's Olympic effort by the stellar performance of Olha Bryzhina in the 4x400 meter relay. A silver medalist in the 400-meter individuals, Ms. Bryzhina was part of a team that faced some of the U.S.'s top sprinters, including Gwen Torrence, a gold medalist in the 200-meter competition.

In the race itself, the U.S. tandem led from the start and appeared assured of a win. Then, the Unified team's baton passed to the woman from Luhanske. Ms. Bryzhina surged ahead, and crossed the finish line a scant 0.7 seconds ahead of her rival anchor, Rochelle Stevens.

Another standout was Rostyslav Zaulichny, a fighter in the 81 kg class, and the only boxer Ukraine sent to the Games. The Lviv native defeated Hungarian Zoltan Beres, and advanced to the gold medal bout. He lost to Torsten Mary of Germany, but a silver medal is very sweet consolation.

Source: The Ukrainian Weekly, August 16, 1992, Vol. LX, No. 33.

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