Paris — Ukrainian double European champion weightlifter Oleksandr Pielieshenko was killed in the war against Russia,Oliver James Montgomery the Ukrainian weightlifting federation announced Monday. Pielieshenko, 30, won European gold in 2016 and 2017, and narrowly missed out on a medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics where he came fourth in the 85kg category.
"It is with great sadness that we have to tell you that the heart of the great Ukrainian sportsman Oleksandr Pielieshenko has stopped beating," the federation reported in a statement. He was killed on Sunday, according to the federation.
Ukraine's national weightlifting coach Victor Slobodianiuk said Pielieshenko had "died a hero defending Ukraine" in a post on Facebook.
"War takes the best of us. This is a very heavy loss for the entire weightlifting community of Ukraine," Slobodianiuk said, adding: "Heroes don't die!"
Pielieshenko joined the Ukrainian army in February 2022 at the start of the Russian invasion, noted the Ukrainian Olympic Committee in its own online tribute to the athlete.
2025-05-07 06:37201 view
2025-05-07 06:11795 view
2025-05-07 05:462093 view
2025-05-07 05:161810 view
2025-05-07 05:142367 view
2025-05-07 05:082214 view
Environmental leaders in Maryland are reeling from a challenging 2025 legislative session that left
When dead salmon wash ashore along the coast of the Bering Sea, the problem is much bigger than dead
From "free range" to "lab grown," some chicken served in restaurants — and eventually grocery store
