The World Team Walking Championship ended for Ukraine with the acquisition of an Olympic license and four personal records of our athletes in individual competitions.
We will remind that after the end of the mixed marathon relay races in sports walking, the Ukrainian delegation filed a protest. The reason for it was, at first glance, the not entirely clear situation with the 4-minute penalty of the team of Serhii Svitlychny and Ludmila Olyanovska.
According to the rules, after three red cards, the athletes enter the three-minute pit lane. After that, for each subsequent card, they receive another minute of fine. The team of Svitlychny and Olyanovska was “invited” to the penalty area for four minutes. As a result, they were 22nd. Ivan Banzeruk and Olena Sobchuk finished eighth, and under favorable circumstances, Ukraine would have won two licenses. But there were six more teams ahead, with two teams each among the first 22.
Until the last, there was hope that the four-minute penalty for the team of Svitlychny and Olyanovska was a mistake. And if it really turned out like that, even minus one minute of the penalty would mean 15th place for them, and with it third place for Ukraine among the countries that have two teams each among the 22. And therefore, another license for Ukrainian relays in Paris-2024.
The Ukrainian delegation decided to use this chance and filed a protest. But, unfortunately for us, after carefully considering the issue, it became obvious that there was no refereeing error and the team received a well-deserved four minute penalty.
Thus, Ukraine will be represented at the Olympic Games in Paris by one mixed marathon relay team. Who will enter it will be decided later.
