Champion youth synchronised swimmer from Ukraine welcomed by Tralee community
Champion synchronised swimmer Mariia Maryntseva, who arrived in Tralee last week. Picture: Olya Maryntseva
A champion synchronised swimmer from Ukraine has found a new temporary home in Tralee after fleeing her native country with her family.
Mariia Maryntseva arrived in Tralee last week with her sister and their mother Olyna.
As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the family fled their home in the capital, Kyiv, and drove to Romania. Once there, they left their vehicle behind and caught a flight to Dublin.
Mariia’s father and older sister stayed behind in Ukraine to assist in the war effort.
It is the family’s second major move in the last decade — they had been based in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine before until it was annexed by Russia in early 2014. At that point, fearing for their safety, the family made the decision to leave everything behind and to relocate to Kyiv to start again.
But last month, when the conflict in Ukraine erupted, the family had no choice but to flee their home once more.
Mariia, who is 17-years-old, is a champion synchronised swimmer and has represented her country in several international competitions.
In the free routine combination event of the synchronised swimming World Youth Championships in Slovakia 2019, she earned a silver medal.
Before Russia’s invasion, she and the other members of her swim club in Kyiv would train for up to eight hours per day and would have undoubtedly been considered contenders for the next Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
Mariia and her family are adamant about going back to Ukraine when it is safe to do so.
In the interim, they have been welcomed with open arms by the Tralee community, the Kingdom Swimming Club based out of the Regional Sports and Leisure Centre, and Mercy Mounthawk secondary school, which Mariia began attending this week.
When Spela Cvar, secretary of Kingdom Swimming Club, was contacted about the possibility of Mariia joining the local swim squad during her time in Kerry, she and her colleagues were only happy to oblige.
Though Mariia had travelled without her gear, Ms Cvar contacted local swimwear provider Swimheadz, who kindly donated togs, caps, goggles and other gear to Mariia.
Some of the club’s more senior members then held a get together for Mariia and her family late last week, where she proudly showed her new clubmates her European championship medal - one of the few possessions she was able to grab during the six-minute window her family had to evacuate before a Russian airstrike.
“At the meetup she showed some of the kids her medal, they were really amazed,” said Ms Cvar.
Her whole life, all she did was train, and we have the facilities here for her.” Ms Cvar says the goodwill shown to Maria and her family so far has been remarkable.
“The family really appreciate everything,” she said.
“I’m a believer that sport is one thing that can really integrate people.
“We’re all just happy that the family are here and that they’re safe now."
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