Ukrainian Paralympians added two medals in cross-country skiing at the Winter Games on Wednesday, as their thoughts remained with their home country under invasion by Russian forces.
Oksana Shyshkova won silver in the women's spring free technique vision impaired race, and Grygorii Vovchynskyi won bronze in the men's sprint free technique standing at the Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Centre in northern China.
Although Ukraine is represented in just two sports at the games -- cross-country skiing and biathlon -- the country's athletes have collected 19 medals so far after dominating the biathlon competition.
They won more medals than China and the United States, the next two most successful teams, combined in biathlon.
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"It's amazing to see great results while competing in only the two sports," Shyshkova said through an interpreter.
"Every time the Ukrainian flag gets raised, it shows Ukrainians are still here. It shows Ukrainians can still win," said her guide Andriy Marchenko, who urged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization members to impose a "no-fly zone" over Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Wednesday's cross-country skiing was led by the host country China, which scooped up four medals, including two gold.
China's Zheng Peng won the men's sprint sitting in 2 minutes, 42.4 seconds, and Yang Hongqiong won the women's spring sitting in 3 minutes, 18.2 seconds.
Japan's Taiki Kawayoke, who won the men's long distance standing gold on Monday, finished seventh in the men's sprint free technique standing, and compatriot Yoshihiro Nitta came in eighth.
