Oksana Boturchuk

Started: She took up the sport at age nine in Nikopol, Ukraine. (Athlete, 22 Oct 2015) Reason: Her mother was involved in the sport and introduced her to a coach. "When I came to athletics, I liked it right away. Dad was a Master of Sport in sambo wrestling, mum was a Candidate for Master of Sport in athletics. Since there was a choice between sambo and athletics, mum said, 'No, you're definitely not taking up sambo'. So, she took me to her coach." (opentv.media, 10 Feb 2024; Athlete, 22 Oct 2015) Awards: In recognition of the three silver medals she won at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, she received the Order of Princess Olga [third class] from the president of Ukraine. (president.gov.ua, 16 Sep 2021) In recognition of her achievements at the Paralympic Games in 2008, 2012 and 2016, she was decorated with the Ukrainian Orders of Merit. (president.gov.ua, 04 Oct 2016; zakon.rada.gov.ua, 17 Sep 2012, 07 Oct 2008) She holds the title of Honoured Master of Sport in Ukraine. (mms.gov.ua, 28 Dec 2022; Athlete, 14 Mar 2020) Additional Info: RETIREMENT AND RETURN She initially decided to retire from competitive sport after the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. However, after giving birth to her third child in 2022, she returned to training in September 2023. "After Tokyo, I decided to definitely quit. But when my son turned one year old, coach Kostyantyn Rurak suggested that I return to training, just to go for it one more time. At some point, I told my mother, 'If I had known it would be so difficult [to return to competition], I might have finished my sports career first, and then gave birth'. But with my third child, I can say that I enjoyed a year of motherhood, all the sleepless nights. That's why I had a desire to return." (suspilne.media, 24 Feb 2024; opentv.media, 10 Feb 2024, 23 Nov 2023) FILM In 2020 a movie called 'Pulse', which is based on her biography, was released. "The movie's slogan is 'Live. Dream. Come on'. And this film is about the fact that there is always a positive side in everything. I just told my story." (hromadske.ua, 04 Feb 2020; gorod.dp.ua, 01 Apr 2019) OCCUPATION She has worked as a physical education teacher at the Chair of Physical Education at the Faculty of Law at the Dnipro State University of Internal Affairs in Ukraine. (Athlete, 14 Mar 2020; dduvs.in.ua, 14 Nov 2019)

Sporting Relatives: Her husband Sergiy Balaban is a Ukrainian Master of Sport in judo and sambo. Her mother was a Candidate for Master of Sport in athletics. (newreporter.info, 02 Jan 2013; gorod.dp.ua, 17 Sep 2012)