Lidiia Hunko
{{short description|Ukrainian bobsledder}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Lidiia Hunko
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| nationality = Ukrainian
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|8|10}}
| birth_place = Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
| height = 1.70 m
| weight = 81 kg
| country =
| sport = Bobsleigh
| event = Monobob, two-woman
| club =
| coach = Mykhailo Heraskevych
| olympics =
| show-medals = no
| medaltemplates =
}}
Lidiia Hunko ({{langx|uk|Гунько Лідія Олександрівна}}; born August 10, 1993, in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian bobsledder. She is the first Ukrainian female bobsledder who received a quota place for the Winter Olympics.
Career
Hunko started her sporting career as a strongwomen. She became a World Champion in deadlift in 2016. The next year, she won "Arnold Classic" in her category.{{Cite web|url=https://my.ua/persons/lidiia-gunko|title=About Lidiia Hunko|date=|publisher=my.ua|accessdate=February 1, 2022}}
Hunko took up bobsleigh in 2018, and one year later she started to compete internationally.{{Cite web|url=https://suspilne.media/198550-nejmovirno-vazkij-slah-lidia-gunko-persa-v-istorii-ukraini-bobsleistka-ucasnica-olimpiadi/|title="An incredibly difficult way." Lidiia Hunko is the first Ukrainian female bobsledder|date=January 24, 2022|publisher=Suspilne|accessdate=February 1, 2022}} Her first international start took place on November 20, 2019, in Lillehammer, Norway.
On December 20, 2020, she won together with Iryna Lishchynska a bronze medal at the European Cup stage in Sigulda which became the first-ever medal in the history of Ukrainian bobsleigh.{{cite web|url=https://sport.ua/uk/news/517368-pervaya-medal-v-bobslee-ukrainki-vyigrali-bronzu-na-etape-kubka-evropy|title=First ever medal in bobsleigh! Ukrainians won a bronze medal at the European Cup|date=December 12, 2020|publisher=sport.ua|accessdate=February 1, 2022}} They repeated their success on November 27, 2021, when they again won a bronze medal at the European Cup stage in Altenberg.{{Cite web|url=https://sport.ua/uk/news/564127-ukrainskie-bobsleistki-zavoevali-medal-na-kubke-evropy|title=Ukrainian bobsledders won a medal at the European Cup|date=November 28, 2021|publisher=sport.ua|accessdate=February 1, 2022}}
On January 14, 2022, Hunko was third in a World Monobob Series event in Winterberg. This result guaranteed her an Olympic spot. She became therefore the first Ukrainian female bobsledder to represent Ukraine at the Winter Games.{{cite web|url=https://ua.tribuna.com/bobsleigh/1105397303-gunko-zavoevala-pervuyu-v-istorii-ukrainy-olimpijskuyu-liczenziyu-v-mo.html|title=Hunko won the first ever for Ukraine Olympic sport in bobsleigh|date=January 15, 2022|publisher=ua.tribuna.com|accessdate=February 1, 2022}} She also ranked second together with Lishchynska in final two-women European Cup rating.{{cite web|url=https://ua.tribuna.com/bobsleigh/1105402729-gunko-zavershila-sezon-na-2-m-meste-v-obshhem-zachete-kubka-evropy-po-.html|title=Hunko finished the season as second in the European Cup ranking|date=January 15, 2022|publisher=ua.tribuna.com|accessdate=February 1, 2022}}
Hunko participated in the monobob event at the Winter Games in Beijing.{{Cite web|url=https://suspilne.media/199917-ukraina-oficijno-zatverdila-sklad-zbirnoi-na-olimpijski-igri-2022-hto-v-komandi/|title=Official list of Ukrainian delegation at the 2022 Winter Games was published|date=January 21, 2022|publisher=Suspilne|accessdate=January 28, 2022}} After the competition, she failed a doping test and was suspended on 15 February.{{cite news |title=Ukrainian bobsledder tests positive for banned substance at Beijing Olympics|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8629603/beijing-olympics-ukraine-bobsleigh-drug-test/ |work=globalnews.ca |date=17 February 2022}}
Career results
=Winter Olympics=
=World championships=
=Women's Monobob World Series=
==Rankings==
==Podiums==
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" | ||
| Season | Place | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|GER}} Winterberg, Germany | bgcolor="cc9966"| 3 |
=European Cup=
==Podiums in two-woman events==
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.ibsf.org/en/athletes/athlete/10093/Hunko Hunko's profile] at the webpage of the IBSF
- [https://www.instagram.com/ice_bolida/ Hunko's Instagram account]
{{2022 Ukraine Winter Olympic team}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunko, Lidiia}}
Category:Ukrainian female bobsledders
Category:Sportspeople from Ivano-Frankivsk
Category:Bobsledders at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Category:Olympic bobsledders for Ukraine