Olena Smaha

Olena Smaha
Smaha in 2024
Personal information
Born (2000-01-13) 13 January 2000
Lviv, Ukraine
Sport
CountryUkraine
Sport Luge
Event
Women's singles

Olena Smaha (born 13 January 2000 in Lviv) is a Ukrainian luger. She competed at the 2026 Winter Olympics.[1]

During the singles luge at the 2026 Olympics, Smaha wrote "remembrance is not a violation" on her glove to protest the disqualification of skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych.[2] The Internationa Olympic Committee barred Heraskevych from competing due to his helmet, which paid tribute to athletes killed in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[3]

Career results

Winter Olympics

Year Event Singles Relay
2026 Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy 20

World Championships

Year Event Singles Mixed
Singles
Singles sprint
2021 Königssee, Germany DNF N/a 30
2025 Whistler, Canada 29 16 N/a

European Championships

Year Event Singles Relay
2020 Lillehammer, Norway DNQ
2021 Sigulda, Latvia DNQ
2022 St. Moritz, Switzerland 20
2025 Winterberg, Germany 19
2026 Oberhof, Germany 17

Luge World Cup

Rankings

Season Singles Singles
Sprint
Overall
2018–19 48 N/a
2019–20 28 N/a
2020–21 29 31
2021–22 29 30
2022–23 43 43
2023–24 Missed the season
2024–25 27 N/a
2025–26 TBD N/a

References

  1. ^ "Olena SMAHA". Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  2. ^ Davies, Luke (11 February 2026). "Olympic Star Olena Smaha Risks IOC Punishment After Showing Message on Hand". SPORTbible. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  3. ^ Ingle, Sean (10 February 2026). "Ukraine racer defies IOC ban by wearing 'helmet of memory' as anger grows". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 February 2026.