Tragic news emerged from Ukraine as the Ukrainian Olympic Committee confirmed the death of two-time European weightlifting champion Oleksandr Pielieshenko on the front line in the ongoing war. Pielieshenko, aged 30, lost his life in combat against the enemy forces, as reported by the committee on Telegram.
Having joined Ukraine's armed forces in the initial days of Russia's invasion, Pielieshenko's commitment to defending his country was unwavering. Despite facing a doping suspension from 2013 to 2015, he made a remarkable comeback to clinch the 2016 European under-85 kilogram division title by a narrow margin of one kilogram. His success continued as he defended his title in 2017 in Split.
