byStuart WeirMaryna Bekh-Romanchuk is from Ukraine. Maryna delivered one of two medals that Ukraine won at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk took the silver medal in the World Indoor Champs triple jump and sixth in the long jump in Belgrade.
In this article, Stuart Weir provides a reality check for our audience, with someone who has experienced the invasion of Ukraine firsthand.
Again, we thank Martin Bateman for his superb photographs.
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, 2022 Muller British Grand Prix, photo by Martin Bateman
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk finished second in the women’s long jump at the Birmingham Diamond League with a jump of 6.66m. Afterward, she said: “Today feels so, so good, I always want to jump more and I feel like I can and I hope next time I can. Now is a very crazy time. I have spent the last few months in Western Europe, I have hopes and dreams, but for now, it is not possible for me to go home now the competition season has started. I want to jump in the triple jump and long jump at the World Championships and European Championships”.
Last week she was second in the triple jump in Doha. At the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade earlier this year, she finished second in the triple jump and sixth in the long jump.
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, 2022 Muller British Grand Prix, photo by Martin Bateman
But, you know, there are times when sport doesn’t really seem that important. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk is Ukrainian and she’s had to leave her country because of the Russian invasion. Her medal in Belgrade followed by Yaroslava Mahuchikh’s win in the high jump, is some good news for Ukraine.
In the post the event press conference most athletes talk about their competition, the training, thank their coach, and smile for photographs. The two Ukrainians had altogether more serious matters to talk about. Bekh-Romanchuk recalled the February day the Russians invaded: “I had no thoughts about training. All day I was worried about family, friends, and dear and well-known people. So many of our athletes live in Sumy or Kharkiv, the towns that were mostly destroyed and ruined. I tried to call everyone inviting them to come to my home or just to my city as there we had quite a calm situation.
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, 2022 Muller British Grand Prix, photo by Martin Bateman
“That Thursday I had been staying in my home in the city of Khmelnytskyi, which is in the west of Ukraine, but my husband had his training camp in Brovary which is the closest town to Kyiv. To say that I was stressed is like to say nothing as Brovary was among those cities which were being bombed in the first minutes of this terrible war.
Honestly, I didn’t even think about starting my training again. I was sure that it would be impossible to continue the season and especially to perform at the World Indoors. I had no idea how I could do it, but our federation promised to do all they can to get us to Belgrade.
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, 2022 Muller British Grand Prix, photo by Martin Bateman
“The head and senior coaches of our national team assured me that I have to continue training, especially if the situation in my town was more or less calm. So, I started in four days. Certainly, it was very difficult to be focused on what I have been doing on the field, but I even managed to do some good technical sessions”.
The training paid off in Doha and Birmingham but it must be indescribably difficult to try to be a “normal” athlete when your country has been invaded and friends and relatives are in danger.
Jumping a few centimeters further somehow doesn’t seem so important.
A smiling Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk takes silver in the 2022 WIC triple jump for Ukraine, photo by World Athletics
