Ukraine's Ryzhykova fighting in the best way she can - on the track

Hurdler Anna Ryzhykova, one of an estimated 40,000 athletes across all sports forced to flee Ukraine to train abroad after Russia's invasion, says she is fighting for her homeland in the best way she can - with her results on the track.

The Olympic bronze medallist has already qualified for the World Athletics Championships in August and the renewal of the Ukraine Solidarity Fund, announced by the sport's global governing body on Wednesday, will help ease her road there.

The World Athletics backed fund distributed $220,000 to more than 100 Ukraine athletes in 2022.

Ryzhykova fled her eastern Ukraine home of Dnipro within weeks of Russia invading the country in February last year in what Moscow calls a "special operation." Her coach Volodymyr Kravchenko joined Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces.

"Every Ukrainian stood up to defend our homeland ... as is the case in sport," Ryzhykova told a small group of reporters on a call from Fort Worth, Texas, where she is temporarily living and training. "By participating in competitions, we do not let the world forget about such a country as Ukraine.

"I continue to cry and worry every day about my friends, my family. But I still continue to train and still continue to show good results to help my country."

The 33-year-old Ryzhykova was fifth in the 400 metres hurdles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics in the 4x400 relay.

FACILITIES DESTROYED

According to international athlete-led organisation Global Athlete, since the invasion 343 sport facilities have been destroyed, leaving an estimated 140,000 young athletes without facilities, while 40,000 athletes are training abroad.

The figures cover all sports.

Ryzhykova spent many weeks each year training at a