Mykola Nyzhnyk goes back to Ukraine

NORTHRIDGE, CA – Olympic runner Mykola Nyzhnyk was training for a marathon until the Russian invasion began. Nyzhnyk traveled from Kenya to Ukraine in March. Nyzhnyk received a call from the National Guard of Ukraine to join the war on March 8th.

Credit: 24 Happenings

26-year-old Ukrainian Olympic runner Mykola Nyzhnyk was in Kenya training for the Hannover Marathon in Germany scheduled for April. That was until Nyzhnyk received a call from his pregnant wife, Olga. She explained that Russia started the invasion of Ukraine. Olga explained she heard bombs going off and that they made the windows in her apartment shake.

Nyzhnyk told Olga to leave the apartment in Brovary, which was 13 miles from Kyiv. Olga collected their personal belongings and headed to a friend’s house in Kyiv.

The 26-year-old then received a call from the Ukrainian National Guard. They informed Nyzhnyk, the first sergeant of the national guard, that he had to arrive in Ukraine and fight for his home country.

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Nyzhnyk said he felt too angry and devastated to run. Roman Fosti, his running partner, tried to get him to train to help him manage his emotions. Nyzhnyk was “too devastated,” according to Fosti.

The Olympic runner traveled in an airplane from Nairobi, Kenya, to Budapest, Hungary. Volunteers in Hungary helped him cross the border. Mykola Nyzhnyk then had a friend meet him in Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine, and took him to a train headed to Kyiv.

Nyzhnyk rejoined his 32-week pregnant wife, Olga, in Lviv for one day. He was set to join his military unit on March 8th. He said he is very motivated to fight for his country.

By, Nelson Cruz

Contributors, New York Times

Photo, 24 Happenings

Audio, Nelson Cruz

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