In France, a film about 5 athletes from around the world, including Olympic Dreams project participant Anastasiia Chyzhevska, was presented
In Paris, the Olympic Dreams project team recently attended the premiere of the documentary film 'Espoirs'. Created by L'Équipe explore and Mañana Production for the 2024 Olympics, the film showcases the challenging training experiences of five athletes from France, Ukraine, Morocco, Kenya, and India. The documentary will be available on L’Équipe’s website and application.
The only one from Ukraine, and among hundreds of athletes worldwide, the authors chose Anastasiia Chyzhevska, a participant in the Olympic Dreams project, European Judo Cup champion, three-time Ukrainian champion, and International Master of Sports of Ukraine.
“Our intention was to create an inspiring documentary on the eve of the Paris Olympic Games. We wanted to shed light on young athletes worldwide who have to overcome many challenges to pursue their passion for sports. Strong personalities like Nastia never lose hope for a better life, and this is a lesson for all of us,” emphasized Jean-Baptiste Renet, editor-in-chief of L’Équipe explore.
Young judoka Anastasiia Chyzhevska is experiencing war for the second time. In 2014, she left her native Luhansk and moved to Irpin, where in 2022, war invaded her home again.
“In the summer of 2022, during training at the Olympic Dreams camp in Greece, I learned about the tragic death of my father, who volunteered for the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the first day. He introduced me to judo when I was 8 years old, and today through the prism of judo, I feel our connection. The coaches and the project team supported me in the most difficult moment, and I think I have become much stronger today,” Nastia shared.
Despite the heavy loss, the girl has repeatedly won European medals and shows a great thirst for victory. She dedicates all her medals to her father and Ukraine.
“Today, Anastasiia embodies the unbreakable spirit of our sports youth, who remain strong and true to their goals and homeland despite all the difficulties of war. This inspires me and the entire Olympic Dreams team to continue systematically supporting the country's Olympic reserve – our future, so that the Ukrainian flag rises as often as possible in sports arenas worldwide,” noted the project's patron and ideological inspirer Anatoliy Boyko.
The premiere of 'Espoirs' featuring Anastasiia took place in a closed format with the participation of distinguished guests, journalists, and representatives of French TV channels.
Also, as part of the visit to France and the development of the international sports camps project, a working meeting was held between the Olympic Dreams team: Oleksandra Novikova and Oleksandra Starkova, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to France Vadym Omelchenko.
It should be noted that the Olympic Dreams project has been implemented by the charitable foundation "The Future for Children" since March 2022. The format of the sports camps has been successfully realized in 6 countries (Israel, Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Slovakia, and Japan). In addition to judo, the project supports the development of sports such as football, handball, fencing, rhythmic gymnastics, taekwondo, and karate.
The L'Équipe Group, with more than 350 sports journalists, has been the leading sport media in France for 78 years, with a monthly audience of 43 million. The L'Équipe Group also organizes events such as the Ballon d'Or, Vélo d'Or, and Demain le Sport.