Winning the 6th FAZZA Dubai Para Badminton International 2025 last month was a special moment for Oksana Kozyna. It was her first title since she moved back to her homeland Ukraine in January 2025.
Kozyna – like many other Ukrainian athletes – was forced to leave the country in 2022. She ended up spending the next three years living and training in Lille, in northern France.
France became a second home for her and the Ukrainian team, that also included two-time Paralympian Oleksandr Chyrkov, with many lasting memories made over the years.
“I will always be very grateful to the French people — they helped us a lot, and the atmosphere was very pleasant and welcoming,” said Kozyna adding that she had achieved several strong performances during this period, including second-place finishes in Canada and Ireland, alongside the world champion title.
But in January 2025, Kozyna made the bold decision to return to her homeland Ukraine. Now based in Dnipro, she is training under the guidance of new coach Serhii Chemerinskyi.
The situation in Dnipro remains difficult, with ongoing fighting and unsafe conditions making it risky to be there. But despite these challenges, Kozyna feels happy and comforted to be back in her home country.
“It’s hard for us to train there with the ongoing bombardments. But we are focused on our job under the guidance of my new coach. Our current focus is on rebuilding the fundamentals — technique and tactics — as these aspects were not fully developed in my previous training.
The work is in progress to build her technical skills with a strong focus on improving key shots like smashes, long clears, and drop shots. Kozyna trains on the court for two hours, five days a week with a emphasis on general physical conditioning (GPP).
“Mental preparation is an important part of my routine. I live in Ukraine, and the war is always there — even the sound of explosions nearby reminds me of it. But I’ve made a conscious choice to protect my mental space. I no longer follow the news, I’ve left social media platforms like TikTok etc,” she said adding that they still have to go underground between 10am and 3am due to bombardments.
“Every time I step on court, I challenge myself — testing both my game and nerves. I’ve learned how to fight back from losing positions and turn matches around,” said the Ukrainian shuttler after clinching her first gold of the season at last month’s Dubai 2025 Para Badminton International. “Matches like these have taught me to think clearly, stay calm, and believe in myself.”
The gold medal at Dubai 2025 Para Badminton International – her second at the event since 2021 – was yet another testament to her relentless drive and determination to excel everytime she steps on court. Kozyna had to overcome a strong challenge from France’s Milena Surreau to win 24-22 17-21 21-10 in the women’s singles SL3 final, in Dubai.
The victory was more meaningful, considering the exhausting journey Kozyna and her team took to reach Dubai. With Ukraine’s airspace still closed, their journey spanned over three days: an eight-hour drive to Poland, a flight to Türkiye, and finally, a connection to the UAE.
Oksana Kozyna at the Paris Paralympics
All the hard work paid off when she clinched the gold, but Kozyna insisted that it is just the beginning. “There’s more to come.”
“This year, I have many goals ahead, but my experience in the circuit has taught me to focus on one at a time and see it through,” she emphasised. “Right now, my primary target is the 2025 European Championship, and I am fully committed to becoming the European champion this year.”
Paris 2024 and Worlds
The 30-year-old takes great in representing her country at the Paralympic Games in Paris adding that the fourth place finish brought her a new level of confidence.
“My memories of Paris 2024 are very special. There were challenges, but also many valuable learnings,” Kozyna said. “I didn’t win the gold medal, but I won something far greater. I overcame obstacles that others couldn’t see – an inner victory that meant much more than a medal. And thanks to that performance, I was able to keep believing in myself, return to Ukraine, continue training, and stay in the sport I love — even though before the Games, I was already considering retiring.
“I won something far more difficult than just a medal,” said the resilient shuttler.
Kozyna had a winning campaign in Dubai
While the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games served as a major confidence booster for Kozyna, it’s her historic World Championship title that remains closest to her heart. The victory marked Ukraine’s first-ever gold at the World Championships – Kozyna staged a thrilling comeback to defeat Türkiye’s Halime Yildiz 20-22 21-18 21-14 in Tokyo.
“Yes, it was the most memorable and important moment of my life,” Kozyna recalled. “We arrived in Japan 10 days before the competition. Everything went perfectly — great training sessions and incredible support from the Japanese people, who helped us in so many ways. Thanks to them, we were able to compete and represent our country. And for me, it ended with a gold medal — it was unbelievable.”
Inspired by that historic gold, Kozyna continues her preparation towards her next goal – glory at the European Championships.
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