IPC Wheelchair Dance sport sends its condolences to family of Nadiia Sivak

“The entire wheelchair dance sport community is deeply saddened by this news, and we are all grieving with Nadiia’s family and friends."

IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport has sent its condolences to the family and friends of Nadiia Sivak, a Ukrainian wheelchair dancer who has sadly passed away on Sunday (9 October).

Sivak had been one of the sport’s most talented dancers, winning multiple World and European Championship titles with her dance partner and husband Ivan. One of the couple’s most recent top performances came from the 2015 World Championships in Rome, Italy, where they defended their title in the duo Latin class 2 and took bronze in the duo standard, an event they won gold in back in 2013.

They were the European champions in both events in 2014.

Sivak leaves behind her husband and daughter Darya.

Camila Rodrigues, IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport manager, said: “The entire wheelchair dance sport community is deeply saddened by this news, and we are all grieving with Nadiia’s family and friends. Nadiia was one of the best wheelchair dancers out there. Her successes on the international stage were a testament to her passion and hard work. She had so much to come.”

The National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Ukraine expressed their condolences on their website:

“Our Paralympic family has an irrecoverable loss: our Nadiia Sivak, the worldwide known multiple world and European champion in wheelchair dance sport, passed away. She was a beautiful, professional athlete with a strong spirit. She performed together with her husband Ivan Sivak. And now she left this life, breaking our hearts.

“More than eight years Nadiia was a member of the national wheelchair dance sport team of Ukraine: eight years full of happiness, fun and victories.

“She lived a difficult life! But she did a lot for her life: despite tragic spine trauma and a verdict to spend all her life in a wheelchair, she, being a simple girl from a little town of Ukraine Makeievka, got married to Ivan Sivak from Khmelnytsk region. After their marriage the couple moved to Netishyn, where she gave a birth to her child and where she could practice her favourite sport.

“Multiple world and European champion, honoured Master of Sports of the International Level, good friend, wife, mother, she always had an open heart to the whole world and a glint in the eyes. She was a very positive and optimistic person.

“Just [a few] days ago, Nadiia together with his husband were preparing for the next European Championship, which will be held in [28-30 October in Kosice, Slovakia]. And today the sport has lost its Nadiia…. The National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine, our whole big family are in a mourning for our bright star Nadiia Sivak. We offer condolences to family members of Nadiia Sivak. Rest in peace.”