Ukraine at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
Ukraine competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from September 7 to 18. The team had 172 athletes across 15 sports and finished 3rd in the medal table with 41 golds, 37 silvers, and 39 bronzes (117 total). The opening ceremony flag bearer was Margaryta Pryvalykhina and the closing ceremony flag bearer was Taras Dutko.
Paralympic competition groups athletes by disability into five categories, with each sport using its own classifications to structure events. This system helps ensure fair competition and is reflected in how Ukrainian athletes qualified and competed.
Ukraine took part in several sports, including a strong 7-a-side football team. The team qualified for Rio after finishing second at the 2015 CP World Championships and were European champions going into the Games.
In archery, Roksolana Dzoba-Balyan and Iryna Volynets earned spots for Ukraine in the women’s recurve open. Ukraine also earned qualification spots in shooting, canoe/kayak, rowing and other sports through World Championships and related events.
In swimming, Ukrainian athletes won multiple medals. Notable performances included Dmytro Vynohradets earning gold in the 200m freestyle S3 and Yelyzaveta Mereshko winning gold in the 400m freestyle S6, along with medals won by Kateryna Istomina and Serhii Palamarchuk.
Overall, Ukraine delivered a strong Paralympic showing in Rio, reflecting its broad and competitive Paralympic program across many sports.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:37 (CET).