Just months before his home country was invaded, Zhan Beleniuk celebrated becoming Ukraine's only gold medal winner at the Tokyo Olympics in a sport that connected him back to his African roots and forged a path for him in politics.
Now the country's first-ever Black member of parliament is intent on defending his title in the 87 kg Greco-Roman wrestling weight division at this summer's Games.
Though there are few parallels to be drawn between what Beleniuk is competing for in Paris and his countries' front-line fight, the 33-year-old opened up to DW about his role as a politician and how Russia's views on Ukraine aren't his truth.
'I was completely alone'
Born in 1991, the year Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union, Beleniuk always stood out. "I was the only Black kid surrounded by young Ukrainian children, I was alone, completely alone," he told DW.
The now 33-year-old never met his Rwandan father, who was killed in 1994 during the nation's civil war. Growing up in a post-Soviet Ukraine that was still grappling with issues of ethnic diversity presented challenges that shaped him.
"I didn't care about race when I was a child," he admitted. "But when I became a teenager I started thinking more about my color of skin. During this period a lot of guys said incorrect things to me, but I had good friends who are still very close to me."
One of those friends took him to a local wrestling club, the start of a glittering journey. Beleniuk quickly rose to prominence as his strategic prowess on the mat led him to represent Ukraine at numerous international competitions.
He first gained recognition at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, but it was at the Tokyo Games that he shone, winning Ukraine's sole gold medal. It solidified his status as one of the world's top wrestlers and made him a source of pride for many back home, especially those from diverse backgrounds.
Found by his relatives
Beleniuk's mixed heritage has always been a point of pride. Following his success in 2016, the African wrestling community began inquiring about the Black Ukrainian who won a silver medal, which resulted in a bizarre twist of fate.
"After my first Olympic Games in Rio my relatives found me," he told DW. A subsequent trip to his father's home to meet them motivated Belenuik to join "the African delegation when I became an MP to help improve African-Ukraine relations."
That commitment to being a servant of the people has seen him take part in various initiatives to promote the cultural richness of Africa, while educating others in Ukraine about the continent's history and contributions to civilization.
"I know a lot of people who grew up in Ukraine with a similar story to mine, we try to keep this connection. I try to help them because I know it’s not easy."
Challenging Russian propaganda
Becoming the nation's sole gold medal winner in Tokyo thrust Beleniuk into a global spotlight, and he's used his platform to speak out on the latest escalations in Russia's war in Ukraine.
Beleniuk's lived reality is contrary to Russia's propaganda. "The Russian Federation tries to find a way to show in Ukraine there's a lot of Nazis and racism in our country. But I'm the best example that it's bulls**t."
Ten Russian wrestlers who were invited to compete at the Paris Olympics as neutral athletes chose not take part after leading wrestlers were left off the invitation list. But Beleniuk never believed competing against Russian athletes was appropriate.
"This war has touched everybody in Ukraine. I don't understand how we could have competed with each other. The Russian Army continues to destroy our country. They've killed civilians and destroyed our sports infrastructure. They've killed over 400 national team athletes. That's why it’s crazy."
Wrestler turned politician
While Beleniuk laments Russian athletes who "just stand around Putin with medals and talk about, 'We are strong, we support our president,'" he's made a name for himself in the political arena as he did on the wrestling mat.
Elected to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, in 2019, Beleniuk represented President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Servant of the People party, becoming the first person of African descent to hold such a position in Ukrainian politics. It was a significant milestone, and earned him admirers.
"I knew Zelenskyy before he became our president," Beleniuk told DW. "When he was elected he asked me to join his team and help with youth and sports. Now [with the war] it's a difficult period for sports in Ukraine, because you know our economy now is very sick."
Battling on multiple fronts, Beleniuk's story is a powerful testament to a commitment to social justice and the importance of embracing one's identity. "People understand there are Afro Ukrainians, they know that a black-skinned Ukrainian guy participates for this country with some success."
As he continues to break barriers, he remains a beacon of hope and a representative of the diverse fabric of Ukrainian society in Paris.
"In my conversation with [President] Zelenskyy, I told him I want to win the Olympics Games," said Beleniuk, who admitted his ultimate goal is "good results for me and my country" as he looks to help restore a greater measure of stability to Ukraine.
