In the history of time, there are several instances of sportspersons making a heroic comeback after being down and out. A lot of the time, it is also against their own physical challenges, such as Kerri Strug at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. But when a 7-year-old gymnastics prodigy from Ukraine made a comeback to a competition, it was special beyond any measure. Oleksandra Paskal her left leg during the Russian bombings of Ukraine last year. She, however, did not lose her passion for gymnastics.

When Russian bombed the Odessa region last year, in the then-raging war, Paskal suffered the brunt of it and lost one of her legs. Recently, more than a year later, she took part in a gymnastics competition and added her name to the list of athletes who have inspired the world.

A rare and inspirational tale in the gymnastics world

A parental adviser on children’s rights and rehabilitation, Daria Heraysmchuk told Ukrinform, “I watched it and could not believe how quickly she had recovered! And most importantly, what kind of powerful motivation must a 7-year-old girl have to return to rhythmic gymnastics with a prosthetic leg at such a high pace”.

Not only is her motivation powerful, but it is also infectious enough to motivate every other athlete, physically challenged or not, to never give up on their dreams. Paskal lived in the Black Sea town of Zatoka, a resort town in the Odesa Oblast region that got hit by a Russian missile attack on 16th May 2022. Although she survived the attack, her leg amputation took place shortly afterward.

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An injured leg, four broken ribs, a head injury, a fractured arm, and uncountable shrapnel wounds, were altogether not enough to break her spirit. Even as a 6-year-old, Paskal was already deeply involved in dancing and gymnastics, winning numerous awards at competitions.

Despite grim circumstances, they are prospering

After the amputation, she resumed her regular training and practices with the same work ethic, but this time with a prosthetic leg. Things haven’t been easy for Paskal or her family in the last 13 months. She underwent rehabilitation to get rid of the trauma at such young age. Her mother lost her hearing ability and incurred multiple injuries during the attack too.

However, slowly but steadily, the family is getting back to normalcy. And with Paskal’s determination and willpower to excel at something she has been doing since she was 3, it could be a positive refreshment for the family after what they suffered. One day, if she continues this way, Oleksandra Paskal might find success like Simone Biles did in gymnastics.

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