September was rich in pleasant meetings and acquaintances for Edelvika. Recently, we opened our doors to some very interesting guests who brought us a surge of special energy, motivated and inspired us, and convinced us that belief in oneself is the key to success, always opening up new opportunities. These people are true motivators, as all participated, and some of them became medalists of the XXXIII Summer Olympic and XVII Paralympic Games 2024 in Paris.
We first welcomed our long-time friends from Volyn, the Paralympians – Marina Mazhula (Honored Master of Sports of Ukraine in paracanoe), Anna Aisanova (Master of Sports of Ukraine of international class in adaptive rowing), Stanislav Samolyuk (Master of Sports of Ukraine of international class in adaptive rowing), Yaroslav Okapinsky (Master of Sports of Ukraine of international class in para athletics), Yuriy Babynets (Master of Sports of Ukraine of international class in para powerlifting), and their mentors, Honored Coaches of Ukraine – Valeriy Druzhynovych and Andriy Rozhok.
These people are true titans in their sport; their confidence and strength are captivating, and their achievements are impressive. Two athletes from Volyn secured prize positions – Marina Mazhula triumphed in second place on the podium, while Yuriy Babynets earned a third place for Volyn.
Marina Mazhula – Honored Master of Sports of Ukraine in paracanoe, silver medalist of the Paralympics, secured second place in kayak and canoe racing. This is Marina’s second Paralympics and her second silver medal. Currently, the athlete plans to rest after the competitive season and prepare for winter training camps. Whether she will continue her career in paracanoe is still uncertain for Marina, as she has spent over seven years in sports and wishes to be with her family more often.
Yuriy Babynets – Master of Sports of Ukraine of international class in para powerlifting, won third place and was awarded a bronze medal. Yuriy also participated in the Paralympic Games for the second time; however, unlike his first performances, he moved to a higher category – up to 88 kg. The Paralympian adds that he felt a great responsibility before the competitions, as he needed to represent his country well. As a result of their performances at the Paralympics, Marina received the Order of Princess Olga II degree. Yuriy Babynets was awarded the Order “For Merits” III degree.
In a few days, we welcomed the team from the National Olympic Committee, led by President Vadym Hutsait, Ukrainian high jumper and bronze medalist of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Iryna Gerashchenko, as well as the head of the Volyn Regional Council and Volyn Olympic Center, Hryhoriy Nedopad.
For the athlete, this is her third Olympic Games in her career. She initially placed tenth in Rio de Janeiro, then almost won the medal in Tokyo. And finally, the long-awaited Olympic bronze in Paris! Iryna cleared the bar at a height of 1.95 meters on her first attempt and secured third place, sharing it with Australian athlete Eleanor Patterson, who achieved the same result.
All the guests got acquainted with our enterprise’s work; we explained and demonstrated the processes of fabric and embroidery production, and most pleasantly – they took a piece of embroidered Lutsk with them!
This year has become significant for everyone: athletes conquered the Olympic podium, and “Edelvika” made its mark in textiles, landing in the trend zone of the Premier Vision exhibition and entering the top 10 selection of the organizers. Our achievements may differ, but one thing unites us – a shared desire to promote Ukrainian culture, even in difficult times for our country. We share our strength and determination to succeed with the world; our actions are confident and decisive, and together we inspire new victories!