Ukrainian Swimmers Seek Pool Success At World Championships Under Shadow Of War

Racked by worry for family, anger at Russian colleagues, and uncertainty about the future, Ukrainian swimmers are seeking world championship success in Budapest under the shadow of war. Scattered around Europe since Russia's invasion in February, life for top swimmers like Mykhailo Romanchuk whose father is "fighting on the eastern front" has been upended. "Every morning he sends me (a message) that he is OK," said Romanchuk, 25, after winning a bronze medal in the 800m freestyle onTuesday.

The father and son refuse to talk by phone to avoid revealing Ukrainian army locations to the Russians.

"I'm not even sure he could see the final" Romanchuk told AFP.

As swimming facilities in cities like Kharkiv and Mariupol have been decimated by bombing, swimmers' foreign connections came to the rescue.

An offer by German swimmer Florian Wellbrock - who won silver in the 800m ahead of the Ukrainian - to join him in Germany for training was accepted by Romanchuk after ten days of deliberation.

"My mind was to go to the war and defend my home," said Romanchuk, who won silver in the 1500m and bronze in the 800m at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

"But with my family we decided I cannot do anything with a gun, and that I should continue to do what I do best, to swim fast," he said.

Refuge

Other Ukrainian swimmers have found refuge in Italy, Lithuania, Hungary and elsewhere.

Andrii Govorov, 50m butterfly world record holder, has roved around training locations including in Hawaii, Monaco, and Germany, while his wife and three-year-old son now live in Austria.

"They escaped first to Poland two days before the first Russian rocket landed," Govorov told AFP poolside in Budapest. Since the invasion the 30-year-old has helped send aid to his