Nataliia Morkvych

Started: She began fencing in 2009 at age 17 in Lviv, Ukraine. (Athlete, 30 Aug 2016) Reason: She was invited to try Para sport when she received her prosthetic. "I thought I'd have a choice. I was very fond of basketball and volleyball at school. I phoned the coach, came to the club, went into the gym and did not understand what was happening. It was fencing. I saw wheelchairs and got stuck. What wheelchairs? Why do I need a wheelchair? But we began talking, and [Ukrainian wheelchair fencer] Andrii Demchuk came, who defused the situation as he always does. They gave me a foil. Few people take it right the first time. I took it right, and the coach said, 'So, something will happen'." (sport.24tv.ua, 15 Jan 2019) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (rozmova.wordpress.com, 23 Nov 2023) Awards: In recognition of the silver medal she won at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, she received the Order of Princess Olga [third class] in Ukraine. (zakon.rada.gov.ua, 16 Sep 2021) She has received the title of Honoured Master of Sport in Ukraine. (mms.gov.ua, 28 Dec 2022)