After the competition, the 18-year-old athlete cried, explaining that her focus on the performances was disrupted due to the destruction of her home in the Sumy region during the war. Shkatula noted that her feelings were not directed against specific competitors.
In the sprint qualification, she placed 64th and did not advance to the finals.
According to the current rules of the International Olympic Committee, athletes from Russia and Belarus compete under a neutral flag. Meanwhile, Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladislav Geraskevich was prohibited from using a helmet in memory of fallen athletes, highlighting the ongoing tension at the Olympics.
