Belarusian Trampolinist Is First Neutral To Win Gold At Paris Olympics

Ivan Litvinovich of Belarus has become the first athlete competing as a neutral at the Paris Olympics to win a gold medal. Litvinovich won the men's trampoline final on August 2. The 23-year-old, who also won the event at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, finished more than a full point ahead of his nearest competitor, Wang Zisai of China, who took silver. Another Chinese trampolinist, Yan Langyu, won bronze. After initially banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from world sports following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the International Olympic Committee adjusted its regulations to allow their participation under a neutral banner subject to strict conditions and excluding team events. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, click here.