Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine's gold medal-winning boxer, returns home and lifts spirits amid war

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's gold medal-winning boxer Oleksandr Khyzhniak gave a military salute to the crowd gathered to celebrate his return to the war-torn country from the Paris Olympics.

Stepping out of the special Olympic Express train at Kyiv’s central railway station, Khyzhniak, 29, greeted fans, friends and family. The athlete from Poltava is also a serviceman of Ukraine's border guard.

He's the first gold-medal winner in the 2024 Olympics to bring the award to his home country.

“I truly dedicate this award to every Ukrainian, to everyone who helped and supported me, who was by my side, cheered for me all over the world,” Khyzhniak said upon his arrival Saturday.

In the men’s middleweight category, Khyzhniak defeated Nurbek Oralbay from Kazakhstan. Ukraine has also won gold medals in women’s team fencing and the women’s high jump.

A star-struck fan, Volodymyr Honchar, 13, was brought to the Kyiv train station by his mother to welcome his idol and get his boxing glove signed by the Olympic champion.

“His victory will raise the spirits of all Ukrainians, will make us all feel good, will make us all stronger,” Honchar told The Associated Press.

Khyzhniak’s victory and other Ukrainian wins in Paris have lifted the spirits of many Ukrainians in the 2 1/2 year war against Russia. Troops are locked in deadly combat along the 1000-kilometer (620-mile) border.

Khyzhniak’s home region of Poltava, just 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Russia, is an area that has been a constant target for Russian air attacks.

“Every time while at the competition or preparing for the competition, when I saw on my phone that air alert was announced in the Poltava region, of course I was worried about Ukraine," said Khyzhniak. "I was worried about my family and I hoped that our military would protect all of us.”

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine's Gold medalist of the 2024 Summer Olympics for the men's 80 kg boxing, shows his medal after arriving at the train station in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine's Gold medalist of the 2024 Summer Olympics for the men's 80 kg boxing, shows his medal after arriving at the train station in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine's Gold medalist of the 2024 Summer Olympics for the men's 80 kg boxing, shows his medal after arriving at the train station in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine's Gold medalist of the 2024 Summer Olympics for the men's 80 kg boxing, hugs his wife after arriving at the train station in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine's Gold medalist of 2024 Summer Olympics for the men's 80 kg boxing, arrives at the train station in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine's Gold medalist of the 2024 Summer Olympics for the men's 80 kg boxing, shows his medal after arriving at the train station in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine's Gold medalist of 2024 Summer Olympics for the men's 80 kg boxing, hugs his friend after arriving at the train station in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine's Gold medalist of 2024 Summer Olympics for the men's 80 kg boxing, gives an autograph on a boxing glove after arriving at the train station in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine's Gold medalist of the 2024 Summer Olympics for the men's 80 kg boxing, shows his medal while holding his son Oleksandr after arriving at the train station in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Julio Rodríguez homered twice to drive in five runs, George Kirby went six innings for his 13th victory and the AL wild card-chasing Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 8-2 on Friday night.

Rodríguez put the Mariners (79-75) ahead to stay with his three-run homer in the fifth off Jack Leiter, who relieved Jacob deGrom after the two-time Cy Young Award winner made his first home start in nearly 17 months after elbow surgery.

Seattle remained two games behind Minnesota for the third and final wild card after the Twins beat Boston 4-2 in 12 innings. The Mariners stayed five back of Houston in the AL West with eight games remaining, three in Houston.

Rodríguez tied a career high for RBIs with his first multihomer game this season. His first homer put Seattle up 4-2, and he went deep off the rookie right-hander again in the seventh with a two-run shot the opposite way to right field for his 18th of the year.

Kirby (13-11) beat the reigning World Series champions again, five days after facing the minimum 21 batters over seven scoreless innings at home against them. The 26-year-old right-hander is 7-0 with a 1.15 ERA in nine career starts against Texas. He struck out four without a walk this time while allowing two runs on five hits.

Nathaniel Lowe had a two-run single for the Rangers (73-81), who have already been eliminated from the AL West race and are on the verge of being officially knocked out of wild-card contention and guaranteed a losing record.

Lowe's hit ended Kirby's streak of 34 consecutive scoreless innings against Texas in a span of seven starts since Sept. 28, 2022.

DeGrom struck out five over three innings, and the only run he allowed was when No. 9 batter Josh Rojas led off the third with a homer. Rojas later added a sacrifice fly.

Leiter (0-3) allowed seven runs (six earned) over five innings. He struck out five and walked two while throwing 57 of 92 pitches for strikes.

A week after throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings in his season debut on the road, also against the Mariners, deGrom threw 37 of 58 pitches for strikes and had one walk. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy had said the 36-year-old right-hander would throw about 60 pitches.

It was the first start at home for deGrom since he left in the middle of the fourth inning against the New York Yankees on April 28, 2023. That was the sixth and last start in the first season of his $185 million, five-year contract.

UP NEXT

Three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer (2-4, 3.95 ERA) makes his second start since coming off the IL after missing 40 games with right shoulder fatigue and an arm nerve issue. Rookie right-hander Emerson Hancock (3-4, 4.83) starts for Seattle.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Texas Rangers' Nathaniel Lowe (30) hits a two-run single in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez celebrates in the dugout after a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (68) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners Josh Rojas (4) celebrates in the dugout after a solo home run against the Texas Rangers in the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) and catcher Jonah Heim (28) walk back to the dugout in the first inning in a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez (44) hits a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (68) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez reacts toward the dugout as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)