Russian Paralympics athletes won 22 medals at the international table tennis competitions in Montenegro

From April 29 to May 2, 2026, the international table tennis competition "ITTF World Para Challenger Podgorica 2026" took place in Podgorica, Montenegro.

The competition involved 24 Russian Paralympians: 20 athletes with physical impairments: Malyak Aliyeva (Saratov Region), Dmitry Chubarov (Samara Region), Safira Fayzutdinova (Chelyabinsk Region), Galina Gorokhovachenko (Republic of Tatarstan), Olga Gorshkaleva (St. Petersburg), Artyom Yakovlev (Saratov Region), Grigory Isakov (Republic of Khakassia), Ivan Karpov (Chelyabinsk Region), Timur Khusnullin (Chelyabinsk Region), Anastasia Kostenevich (St. Petersburg), Eva Kuts (Sverdlovsk Region), Dmitry Lavrov (Republic of Bashkortostan), Elena Litvinenko (St. Petersburg), Maxim Nazarkin (Moscow), Rasul Nazirov (Republic of Dagestan), Yury Nozdrunov (Moscow Region), Nadezhda Pushpasheva (Udmurt Republic), Evgeny Ryazantsev (Republic of Bashkortostan), Elena Tikhonenkova (Moscow), and Vladimir Toporkov (Sverdlovsk Region), as well as 4 athletes with intellectual impairments: Maria Galkina (Kurgan Region), Alexey Kudryavtsev (Moscow), Victoria Minaeva (St. Petersburg), Tatyana Snegiryova (Kurgan Region).

In total, Russian tennis players won 22 medals: 3 gold, 9 silver, and 10 bronze.

In singles: Malyak Aliyeva won gold in Class 6. Silver medalists: Nadezhda Pushpasheva (Class 1-2), Galina Gorokhovachenko (Class 7), Maxim Nazarkin (Class 7), Elena Litvinenko (Class 8), Artyom Yakovlev (Class 8), Anastasia Kostenevich (Class 10). Bronze medalists: Yury Nozdrunov (Class 9) and Maria Galkina (Class 11).

In doubles: the pair of Anastasia Kostenevich and Olga Gorshkaleva won gold in Class WD-20. Bronze medalists: the pair of Maxim Nazarkin and Belgian athlete Ben Despineux in Class MD-14; Elena Litvinenko and Eva Kuts in Class WD-20; and Galina Gorokhovachenko and Malyak Aliyeva in Class WD-14.

In mixed doubles: the pair of Ivan Karpov and Safira Fayzutdinova won gold in Class XD-20. Silver medalists: Malyak Aliyeva and Artyom Yakovlev in Class XD-14; Yury Nozdrunov and Elena Litvinenko in Class XD-17; Olga Gorshkaleva and Taiwanese athlete Su Jin Sian in Class XD-20. Bronze medalists: Anastasia Kostenevich and Taiwanese athlete Lin Chun Ting in Class XD-20; Galina Gorokhovachenko and Maxim Nazarkin in Class XD-14; Grigory Isakov and Indian athlete Deepika Gangapatnam in Class XD-10; Rasul Gazirov and Elena Tikhonenkova in Class XD-7; and Victoria Minaeva and Korean athlete Kim Gi-tae in Class XD-22.

The Russian Paralympic Committee congratulates the athletes and coaches on winning these well-deserved awards and wishes them success in future competitions!

Photos: Russian Paralympic Committee, International Table Tennis Federation.

Note: Table tennis was first included in the program of the 1st Summer Paralympic Games in 1960. Athletes with physical impairments and intellectual impairments participate in two categories – wheelchair (classes 1–5) and standing (classes 6–10). Men and women compete in singles, doubles, and team events. The Paralympic program includes singles and doubles competitions. A match consists of five games, each played to 11 points, with the winner being the athlete or pair who wins three out of five games. At the 17th Summer Paralympic Games in Paris, France, Russian tennis players won silver and bronze medals.