Ukrainians Still Hearing the Cheers

(Photo by Jaela Eaton)

In their three years at the Head of the Charles, the Ukrainian women’s national team has never been all that competitive in the Championship Eights, generally finishing in the middle of the field, as they did on Sunday. Yet they have always been a crowd favorite, given the current state of their homeland.

It was more of the same on Sunday and the women representing their war-embattled country said they remained moved by the unmatched fan support.

“I loved [the support],” said bow seat Kateryna Maistrenko. “There are so many people who scream ‘Slava Ukraine’ throughout our race. It is like a glory to the heroes that gave their lives.”

Maistrenko explained how the team was cheered on throughout the entire race, which felt different compared to the typical cheers that boats would receive near the end of the race.

Amid turmoil at home, the Ukrainian women’s team traveled to Cambridge to compete in what they knew would be a difficult race, but the difficulty only made them more determined.

The Ukrainians finished 17^th in 16:15, some 45 seconds behind the winning Leander boat.

“I love [rowing] because this is hard,” said sixth seat Yevheniia Dovhodko. “And for three years we are happy to [have competed].”

Maistrenko added, “I feel like being a rower [is] already sacrificing so much. It’s [about] the process of how hard it is to get where you want. It kind of inspires us to go further and push each other.”

Racing in this event comes with a ton of pressure, especially when these women are representing their battered country. Maistrenko mentioned that most members of the team are from eastern Ukraine and they are unable to see their families. That only fuels them to further push themselves down the river.

“We [are grateful] to have [the] opportunity to come here and at least forget what it’s like to train in Ukraine,” said Maistrenko. “Because for us it’s incredibly important to show that we’re still capable of [competing] no matter the war and the situation we’re in.”

Speaking on how rowing for her country has become an identity for her and the rest of the team, Dovhodko added, “It’s a great emotion.”

The camaraderie within the Ukrainian women’s team is an important part of their success. It consists of veterans Anastasya Kozhenkova, a London Olympic gold medalist, and Paris Paralympic silver medalist Emelie Eldracher. This was their third time participating in the regatta. The diversity and individual success of each member is inspiring younger rowers on the team like Maistrenko.

“These ladies are my inspo,” she said. “Because I grew up seeing them going to the Olympics and now like rowing with them and being part of the team. It’s such a special feeling to be a part of such a small but very tight community.”