Ukraine athlete Grygorii Vovchynskyi won the first gold medal at the Beijing Paralympic Games on Saturday in the para biathlon men’s sprint standing event, dedicating his medal afterward to his home country.

After winning the race, Grygorii said, “It’s very important for us in Ukraine. Today I represented my country. It’s a difficult time, I am worried and afraid.”

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“I was thinking before the race, I must try to do everything for Ukraine. I must think about war, about my country, about my people, about my President,” he said.

“I love sport, but today I ran because I want life in Ukraine to move to the future,” he said. He added that when the war began, he “cried every day,” wondering what he could do.

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“I can dedicate this race to Ukraine, for peace, (for the) people in Ukraine. It’s the first place for my country,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian athlete Liudmyla Liashenko also won silver in the women’s sprint standing event on Saturday.

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“I am really glad that I finished and brought this medal to Ukraine,” she said, adding that her family was still in Ukraine.