David Horava
- David Khorava: Ukrainian Paralympic Judoka
- Childhood Tragedy and Perseverance
- Paralympic Success
- Paralympic Games:
- Orders of Merit (Ukraine):
David Khorava: Ukrainian Paralympic Judoka
Early Life and BackgroundDavid Khorava is a Ukrainian Paralympic judoka of Abkhazian descent. Born on June 29, 1988, in Gali, Abkhaz ASSR, his family fled to Ukraine during the military conflict in Abkhazia. Settling in Dnipropetrovsk, Khorava began practicing martial arts with his uncle's guidance before transitioning to judo.
Childhood Tragedy and Perseverance
Khorava's life took a challenging turn when he contracted hepatitis. The illness left him visually impaired, but he remained steadfast in his pursuit of judo. Inspired by his uncle, he overcame adversity and continued to train.
Paralympic Success
In 2010, Khorava embarked on a Paralympic career. Training out of the Rivne and Dnipropetrovsk regional "Invasport" centers, he was coached by Mikhail Romankevich. His impressive record includes:
Paralympic Games:
- Gold medal (2012)- Bronze medal (2016)
World Championships:
- Gold medal (2010)
- Bronze medals (2015, 2018)
European Championships:
- Gold medals (2017, 2019)
- Silver medals (2013, 2015)
- Bronze medals (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017)
World and European Cup Wins:
- World Cup gold medals (2014, 2021)
- European Cup medals (2015, 2019)
Honors and Recognition
Khorava's achievements have been celebrated with the following accolades:
Orders of Merit (Ukraine):
- Order of Merit, 3rd Class (2012)- Order of Merit, 2nd Class (2016)
Presidential Scholarship (Ukraine):
- 2017, for achievements at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
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