Triumph of the Belarusian Team at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
Stanislav Pozdeev
Swimming coach and founder of SwimHeadCoach. Working with swimmers of all levels, helping them achieve their best results.
The XVII Paralympic Games 2024 in Paris were truly historic for the Belarusian team. From August 28 to September 8, our athletes demonstrated incredible spirit, professionalism, and top-level preparation, winning 7 medals — 6 gold and 1 silver.
Belarus was represented by eight athletes: six swimmers and two track and field athletes. Each contributed to the overall success, with standout performances from the team leaders becoming true highlights of the Games.
⭐ Yegor Shchelkanov’s Golden Breakthrough: Paralympic Record and Dominating Victory
Special pride for our team came from my athlete — Yegor Shchelkanov. Under the guidance of Stanislav Pozdeev, in the final of the 100m backstroke (S9 class), he not only became champion but set a new Paralympic record with a time of 1:00.76.
Yegor outpaced his rivals by a full body length and confirmed his status as one of the strongest swimmers in his class. After a silver medal in Tokyo 2020, this victory was the logical result of many years of systematic work and immense personal motivation.
⭐ Five Gold Medals and World Record by Igor Bokiy
Paralympic swimming legend Igor Bokiy once again demonstrated world-class results. In the 200m individual medley, he set a new world record — 2:02.03 and won his fifth gold medal at the Paris Games.
His collection now includes 21 Paralympic gold medals, making him one of the most decorated Paralympians in history.
⭐ Strong Performances from the Entire Team
The remaining Belarusian athletes also performed confidently and consistently, finishing no lower than eighth place. Just shy of the podium were:
- Elizaveta Dobrovolskaya — track and field
- Maksim Vashkevich — swimming
Vladislav Grib delivered a strong result, finishing 6th in the club throw, while Anastasia Zudilova and Evgeny Kovalenok finished 7th and 8th respectively.
⭐ Government Support and Recognition of Achievements
President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko congratulated Igor Bokiy, Yegor Shchelkanov, and the entire team on their triumphant results, highlighting their contribution to the development of sports and strengthening the country's image.
Despite competing under a neutral status, all of Belarus followed their success and supported every athlete.
Conclusion
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games clearly demonstrated that Belarusian sports continue to develop and show a high level. Yegor Shchelkanov’s gold, Igor Bokiy’s world record, and the brilliant performances of the entire team are the result of many years of dedicated work by athletes and coaches.
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