Denys Bytchenko had a commanding presence in their last match with 18 points, leading Ukraine to a 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-18) win over hosts France in the sevent-place match of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games men’s sitting volleyball at North Paris Arena on Wednesday.
Bytchenko’s stellar showing included 10 attacks, five blocks, and three aces, spearheading a powerful Ukrainian offence that racked up 32 attacks, 14 blocks, and eight aces. France’s Thibaud Lefrancois led his side with eight points from attacks, but Ukraine’s dominance was clear throughout the match, overpowering France in key moments to secure the win.
The first set started with both teams exchanging points evenly. However, Ukraine took the upper hand after a series of errors from the French side. Key plays included Bytchenko’s block on Lefrancois to bring the score to 22-15, and his serve ace at 79 km/h that sealed the set for Ukraine at 25-16.
In the second set, Ukraine continued their momentum, quickly establishing a lead with Bytchenko’s precise attacks and blocks. A crucial moment came at 16-8, when an attack from Maksym Petrenchuk doubled the Ukrainian lead 16-8. France scrambled on both offence and defence as Ukraine surged ahead to a comfortable 25-11 finish, with Andrii’s Pryshchepa attack securing the final point.
The third set saw a more competitive start, with France fighting back to stay level at 13-13. However, Ukraine’s resilience showed as Roman Pryshchepa block on Romain Wolniewicz at 21-18 swung the momentum firmly in Ukraine’s favour. Bytchenko’s final attack sealed the set at 25-18, and the match, securing Ukraine’s seventh-place finish in the tournament.
Photo: WPV/Sinisa Kanizaj.