Olympic fencing champion Olha Kharlan offered her gold medal-winning saber for a charity auction to raise funds for automated “ShaBlia” turrets for Ukrainian military, according to her Instagram post.
Ukraine won its first gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the women’s team saber fencing event by defeating South Korea 45-42. Kharlan scored 22 points. This victory is especially meaningful for her, because she faced a controversial disqualification at the previous world championships.
Ukrainian Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation announced the auction on its social media platforms, claiming that all the money collected for the saber will be used to buy “ShaBlia” turrets for the Ukrainian military.
“This saber has already brought gold to Ukraine, and we will make sure it also benefits our defenders at the front!” Kharlan said in a video.
The auction, scheduled for 15 August at 7 p.m. on Serhiy Prytula’s Facebook and YouTube pages, is part of a larger fundraising campaign.
Donors contributing 200 hryvnias ($4,8) or more will be entered into a draw for a flag bearing Kharlan’s autograph, while the highest donor will win a coffee meeting with the Olympian.
The “ShaBlia” turret, the focus of the fundraising efforts, is described as a remote-controlled, bulletproof system for machine guns. It can operate effectively from various positions and aims to protect machine gunners by allowing remote operation up to 100 meters (328 feet) away, with an accurate firing range of 1,200 meters (3937 feet).
Kharlan’s recent Olympic performance cemented her status as Ukraine’s most decorated Olympian. At the 2024 Paris Games, she secured her sixth Olympic medal as part of the gold-winning women’s saber team, which also included Alina Komashchuk, Yulia Bakastova, and Olena Kravatska.
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