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The Documentary: Paralympic Overachievers? The story of Ukraine

Paralympic Overachievers? The story of Ukraine

24/12/2016 GMT

BBC World Service - The Documentary, Paralympic Overachievers? The story of Ukraine

With a total of 117 at Rio, why have Ukrainian paralympians been good at winning medals?

Mani Djzami visits Kiev to ask why Ukraine has punched above its weight at every Paralympics since Athens in 2004

Ukraine came third on the medals table at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, so what's their secret?  

Mani Djazmi travels to Ukraine to find out why this isn't just a one Olympics wonder. The country has been in the top 6 of the medals table since 2004, yet only started sending a team in 1996. 

He assesses how the nation has turned into a Paralympic superpower, despite an economic crisis and the loss of not only their training centre in war-torn Crimea, but their homes.

Plus, how well are the disabled supported in Ukraine? How much has the Chernobyl disaster impacted on perceptions of disabled athletes in Ukraine?

Amongst the guests you'll hear from some of the stars of that Rio team including the remarkable story of bronze medallist, Anton Kol, who like so many disabled children in Ukraine, was given up by his parents at birth and sent to an orphanage which he described as "being treated like cattle".

Plus, Ukraine born USA Paralympian Oksana Masters on how she sees the birth defects she suffered as a result of the Chernobyl disaster 30 years ago as a blessing.

Image: Ukraine's victorious men's 4x100m freestyle relay team win gold at the Rio Paralympics, Credit: Getty Images

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