Ukrainian Gymnast Illia Kovtun Finishes Fourth

Ukrainian gymnast Illia Kovtun narrowly missed a medal at the 2024 Olympics, finishing fourth in the all-around competition with a score of 86.165 points. Despite delivering a near-perfect performance in the floor exercise, he was edged out for bronze by China's Xiao Ruoteng by just 0.199 points. Kovtun expressed pride in his achievements, emphasizing that his fourth-place finish still reflects his status as one of Europe's top gymnasts. Another Ukrainian gymnast, Oleg Verniaiev, placed eighth, as the team faced significant challenges under the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine, which influenced their participation at these Games. In other events, Larisa Cerić from Bosnia and Herzegovina also fell short of a medal, losing in a quarter-final judo match, while Chinese gymnasts faced similar disappointments, failing to secure gold despite strong performances. Overall, the Olympic Games have highlighted the resilience of athletes from Ukraine amidst their country's struggles.