Five Gold Medals Under the Christmas Tree

Of course, one and all saluted the export of this noble metal by Ukrainian swimmers at the fifth World Cup stage during the Christmas vacation. Think of it: five top medals at the very start of the new season.

It is especially gratifying to salute to the success of our dolphin from Zaporizhzhia, Denys Sylantiev; late last year he fell short of first place, and in prior stages he had to be satisfied with the silver. The intense season, during which he won so many medals for the Ukrainian and world teams in the Goodwill Games, told upon him.

These days he scored a hat-trick, by winning the 100 and 200 meter races, then adding the 50 meters to his laurels distance and setting the new national record of 24:18 seconds.

Crimean-born Yana Klochkova, who also represents Kharkiv, did not seem to need to acclimate, for she confidently left her opponents behind in the warm Hong Kong water in the 200 and 400 meter complex swimming races.

We toast the great success of our dolphin and mermaid at the start of the new year!