Ukrainian swimmers make history with world record and double medal win at World Games
Photo: Sofiia Hrechko (Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine)
Ukrainian athletes Sofiia Hrechko and Anna Yakovleva achieved a historic result in finswimming at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, reports the official competition website.
They overtook the 'neutral' athlete at the finish
In the women's 400-meter final, both Ukrainian representatives took the top two spots on the podium. Moreover, Hrechko won the gold, setting a world record of 3:11.88 minutes. This is her second-highest award at the tournament after winning the 200 m distance.
Silver was won by Yakovleva, who showed a time of 3:12.27 and overtook the "neutral" Russian Elizaveta Kupressova.
The decisive battle unfolded in the last 100 meters of the distance: the Ukrainians overtook the "neutral" athlete, who had led the race for a long time. The championship title was decided only in the final 50 meters.
Final results (400 m, women):
- Sofiia Hrechko (Ukraine) – 3:11.88 (world record)
- Anna Yakovleva (Ukraine) – +0.39
- Elizaveta Kupressova – +2.23
Thanks to this success, the Ukrainian team already has 21 medals at the 2025 World Games: 8 gold, 8 silver, and 5 bronze.
Earlier, Ukrainian karateka Rizvan Talibov gave us an exclusive interview about his victory at the World Games.
We also wrote about how many Ukrainians are competing in which sports in China.
