Ukrainian boxer sacrifices Olympic dreams and life to fight against Russia's invasion
More than 400 Ukrainian athletes have been killed since the start of the war, including many of the country's brightest Olympic prospects. Among them was Maksym Halinichev, a young boxer who signed up as a soldier months after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Halinichev was wounded once and returned to the battlefield. He died at age 22 and his body has never been recovered. Ukraine has sent many of its Olympic hopefuls to train abroad ahead of the Games in Paris. But many have chosen to defend their country’s honor on the battlefield instead of the sports arena. (AP video shot by Alex Babenko)
