“Ukrainian tennis player shared their memories of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games”, – WRITE: Sport.ua
– At the Paris Olympics, you were a flag -bearer and apparently it has become something incredible for you. How do you mention this day? The very ceremony on the hay, the rain – How did it go?
– It was a mix of emotions for me, because, on the one hand, it was a great honor for me, especially at such a difficult time for my country, to be one of those who carry the flag. On the other hand, it was my first opening ceremony. Usually tennis players do not participate in it, because the competition begins the next day, and we are just getting ready for games.
But since I was a flag carrier, I needed to be there. And the weather, to put it mildly, we were not pleased – there was a heavy rain, and I got wet literally to the thread. The rest of the athletes and coaches were somehow protected – they had raincoats, plastic capes, and I could not wear anything because we were on the first boat, right at the beginning of the column. It was not easy – we got wet, and it took time to come to mind. But despite all this, be a flag carrier of your country is a special feeling. This is the moment that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
– Do you think when you will be 60 or 70 you will remember this day as one of the top 3 or top 5 moments of your life – From the point of view of pride for the country, for the fact that it was something really special?.
– Yes, of course. The Bronze Medal in Tokyo is the first in Ukraine’s history in tennis, participation in the opening ceremony when you carry a flag … These are the moments that you value especially. For my country, the Olympics is a very big event. So so, it was extremely important for me and I am very proud of all the efforts I made. I hope that I get another medal. Let’s see how the body will feel and whether I will be able to play to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.