Pavlo Bal

Started: "I got into Para sport at the beginning of 2018, and it was in skiing and biathlon. I became interested in handcycling in 2019. I sat on it [his first handcycling] in the [northern hemisphere] autumn of 2021. In fact, I thought it would be easier [to transition from cross-country skiing to handcycling]. I was wrong, because it is a more dynamic sport, more energy and strength are needed, and the distances are longer." (suspilne.media, 24 Jun 2024; golossokal.com.ua, 19 Jul 2023) Reason: He originally took up handcycling to diversify his training in Para biathlon and cross-country skiing. "My Instagram has content of wheelchairs, prostheses and sports, and somewhere out there I saw [US Para athlete] Oksana Masters. I saw her and the Para sport kind of piqued my interest." (suspilne.media, 24 Jun 2024; golossokal.com.ua, 19 Jul 2023) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (suspilne.media, 24 Jun 2024) Awards: He has received the title of Master of Sport in Ukraine. (paralympic.org.ua, 22 Feb 2022)