Ukraine's Paralympic Biathlon Team Ends Russia's 16-Year Winning Streak

Away from the turmoil going on in their country, members of Ukraine's team at the Beijing Winter Paralympics can celebrate historic sporting success.

For the first time, Ukraine's athletes topped the table in Para Biathlon at the Beijing Paralympic Winter Games, with 22 medals: eight gold, nine silver and five bronze.

Ukrainian publication Obozrevatel noted that Russia had topped the medal count in Para Biathlon for the previous 16 years.

Competitors from Russia and Belarus were initially going to compete in the Winter Paralympics but were banned following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

As of Saturday, Ukraine was second behind host nation China in the overall medal table, with a total of 28 medals, 10 of which are gold.

Ukraine's haul followed a successful final day of competition at the Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Centre in which they won three out of the six golds on offer.

Ukraine started the final day strongly after Liudmyla Liashenko won the Women's individual standing title. She had previously won a silver and bronze in the women's sprint standing and women's middle distance standing.

"I was sure that my gold was waiting for me at these Paralympic Games and I am really happy and proud to be a Paralympic champion," she said after winning her first individual Olympic title.

"I dedicate this medal to the Ukrainians, to the army who protect us and to my family," Liashenko, 28, said.

Oksana Shyshkova spoke of the pride she felt in her country after she won gold in the women's individual vision impaired category.

"Every time we go to the start we understand that we (want to) protect the honor of our country," she said, according to Paralympic.org. "That is maybe what is motivating us to focus and do all the best that we can during the race," she added.

Oleksandr Kazik said after winning the men's individual vision impaired title, "it is a really desired medal for us."

The haul on the final day meant that Ukraine had achieved their best ever performance in Paralympic Winter Games history. At Peongchang, South Korea, four years 2018, they won four gold, five silver and five bronze medals.

The participation of Russian athletes at the Games was a bone of contention before the opening ceremony. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) had initially said that they could compete as neutrals.

However, the IPC changed the decision after "an overwhelming number of members" said they would refuse to compete if Russia and Belarus took part.