Oleh Handei
Handei at the 2022 Winter Olympics | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Гандей Олег Володимирович |
| Nationality | Ukrainian |
| Born | 5 March 1999 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Short track speed skating |
Oleh Volodymyrovych Handei (born March 5, 1999, in Kyiv, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian short track speed skater. He competed in the 500 metres event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, where he did not advance from the heat.[1]
Sporting career
Handei took up the sport in 2009 in his home city, Kyiv. Before that, he tried figure skating.[2]
He started his international sporting career in late 2016 when he skated at the World Cup. He debuted during that season at the World Junior Championships. He represented Ukraine in various competitions over the following seasons.
Handei qualified for his first Winter Games in Beijing based on his performances during the 2021–22 World Cup.[3]
Handei qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics in the 500-meter and 1,500-meter events. He planned to wear a helmet with the phrase "Where there is heroism, there is no final defeat" by Ukrainian poet Lina Kostenko, but was forbidden by the International Skating Union as a political slogan. He disputed the order, asserting it was a motivational quote rather than being related to the Russo-Ukrainian war.[4]
Results
Winter Olympics
| Year | Host | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | Relay | Mixed relay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Beijing, China | 26 | — | — | — | — |
| 2026 | Milano Cortina | 15 | — | 16 | — | — |
World Championships
| Year | Host | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | Allround | Relay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Montreal, Canada | 25 | 26 | 32 | 26 | — |
| 2019 | Sofia, Bulgaria | 39 | 26 | 38 | 36 | — |
| 2021 | Dordrecht, Netherlands | PEN | PEN | 29 | 44 | — |
European Championships
| Year | Host | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | Allround | Relay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Dresden, Germany | 29 | 31 | 38 | 30 | 9 |
| 2019 | Dordrecht, Netherlands | 21 | 33 | PEN | 35 | 10 |
| 2020 | Debrecen, Hungary | PEN | 17 | 19 | 24 | 7 |
| 2021 | Gdańsk, Poland | PEN | 27 | PEN | 44 | — |
Personal life
His two-year-older brother, Volodymyr, is also a short track speed skater who represented Ukraine at both World and European championships. Oleh and Volodymyr took up short track speed skating almost together in 2009.[5]
Handei is a student at the National University of Physical Education and Sport of Ukraine and studies physical culture.
See also
- Vladyslav Heraskevych, Ukrainian skeleton racer and 2026 Olympian, who was disqualified for wearing a helmet with images of athletes killed in the war
- Kateryna Kotsar, Ukrainian freestyle skier and 2026 Olympian, who had to change her helmet with a pro-Ukrainian phrase
References
- ^ "Short track speed skating: Handei did not qualify for the quarterfinals at the Olympics". Gazeta.ua. 11 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "Big family of short track speed skater Oleh Handei". tribuna.com. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "Official list of Ukrainian delegation at the 2022 Winter Games was published". Suspilne. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ Truhub, Diana; Karpenkov, Mykola (11 February 2026). ""Краще цього не робити". Третій український спортсмен отримав заборону на використання шолома під час Олімпіади-2026" (in Ukrainian). Suspilne. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
- ^ "Big family of short track speed skater Oleh Handei". tribuna.com. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
External links
- Oleh Handei at the International Skating Union (archived former page)
- Oleh Handei at ShorttrackOnLine.info
- Oleh Handei at Olympics.com
- Oleh Handei at Olympedia
- Oleh Handei on Facebook