Iuliia Batenkova

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Iuliia Batenkova

| image = IuliiaBatenkova.jpg

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| caption = Batenkova at Sochi 2014

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| full_name = Iuliia Batenkova-Bauman

| nickname = Yulya

| national_team = Ukraine

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|9|20}}

| birth_place = Simferopol, Crimea

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| alma_mater = Open International University of Human Development "Ukraine"

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| country = Ukraine

| sport = Cross-country skiing, biathlon

| disability = Limb deficiency

| disability_class = LW6

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| coach = Vladimir Gaschin

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{{Medal|Country|{{UKR}}}}

| updated = 16 November 2017

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Iuliia Batenkova-Bauman (also spelled Yuliia, Yuliya, Yulia, or Julia; born 20 September 1983) is a Ukrainian Nordic skier who competes in cross-country skiing and biathlon. She has competed in three successive Winter Paralympics, where she has won 13 silver and bronze medals.

Career

Batenkova was born on 20 September 1983,{{cite web|title=Iuliia BATENKOVA|url=http://sochi2014.arch.articul.ru/www.sochi2014.com/en/paralympic/athlete-iuliia-batenkova.htm|publisher=Sochi.ru|accessdate=16 November 2017|archive-date=16 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116185223/http://sochi2014.arch.articul.ru/www.sochi2014.com/en/paralympic/athlete-iuliia-batenkova.htm|url-status=dead}} in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.{{cite news|title=Putin's games end under Crimea cloud|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/03/17/world/politics-diplomacy-world/putins-games-end-under-crimea-cloud/#.Wg1h-Gi0PIU|accessdate=16 November 2017|work=Japan Times|date=17 March 2014|archive-date=8 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108044315/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/03/17/world/politics-diplomacy-world/putins-games-end-under-crimea-cloud/#.Wg1h-Gi0PIU|url-status=dead}} As a child, she took part in artistic gymnastics. At the age of 8, she was in a road traffic accident where her mother and brother died, and Batenkova lost her right hand. Because of the injury, she gave up gymnastics. Together with her father, she moved to Kovel, where he remarried. Batenkova graduated from school with a qualification in accounting, and during her studies she was introduced to the Foundation for Supporting Sports for the Handicapped. She took part in track and field events at first, but seeking to go to the Paralympic Games, she switched to winter sports due to heavy competition for spots in the summer events.{{cite news|last1=Levenstein|first1=Ihor|title=Yulia Batenkova: "My husband and I have three hands and three legs for the two of us. He is my hands and I am his legs."|url=http://kyivweekly.com.ua/pulse/persona/2010/04/21/234158.html|accessdate=16 November 2017|work=Kyiv Weekly|date=21 April 2010|archive-date=16 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116185346/http://kyivweekly.com.ua/pulse/persona/2010/04/21/234158.html|url-status=dead}} She studied at the Open International University of Human Development "Ukraine".{{cite web|title=BATENKOVA Iuliia|url=https://www.paralympic.org/asp/lib/theasp.asp?pageid=8937&sportid=-567&personid=917564&refreshauto=1|publisher=Paralympic.org|accessdate=16 November 2017|archive-date=16 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116190028/https://www.paralympic.org/asp/lib/theasp.asp?pageid=8937&sportid=-567&personid=917564&refreshauto=1|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://en.vmurol.com.ua/sport%20activity%20and%20achievements|title=Sport Activity and Achievements | The Opened International University of Human Development 'Ukraine'|website=en.vmurol.com.ua|access-date=2018-01-21|archive-date=2 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302230718/http://en.vmurol.com.ua/sport%20activity%20and%20achievements|url-status=dead}}

Batenkova has competed at three successive Winter Paralympics, first at Turin 2006, and also in 2010 and 2014. She has won medals at each games in both Cross-country skiing and biathlon. Following the Turin Games, Batenkova was given an apartment in Lutsk by the Ukrainian Government, and has been given other financial awards for winning her medals at the three Winter Paralympics she has attended. During the 2014 Winter Paralympics closing ceremony, Batenkova was one of the Ukrainian medallists who covered their medals in protest against the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. She said afterwards, "That is how we show our protest and disagreement that our country could be divided and part of it could be excluded from Ukraine, Crimea is my motherland, where I was born, and of course I worry about it. I want peace."

She won the bronze medal in the women's 6{{nbsp}}km standing biathlon event at the 2021 World Para Snow Sports Championships held in Lillehammer, Norway.{{Cite news|last=Houston|first=Michael|date=15 January 2022|title=Russians take biathlon golds at World Para Snow Sports Championships|work=InsideTheGames.biz|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1117842/world-para-snow-sports-champs-3|access-date=15 January 2022}}{{Cite news|date=15 January 2022|title=Clean podium sweeps for RPC and Ukraine on Para biathlon's opening day|work=Paralympic.org|url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/clean-podium-sweeps-rpc-and-ukraine-para-biathlon-s-opening-day|access-date=15 January 2022}}