Gurenko Polina

About

Polina Gurenko, an athlete of Ukrainian origin with Moldovan citizenship, has distinguished herself through exceptional performances in WKF karate, bringing the Republic of Moldova its first gold medal at a European Championship. At the 2018 Sofia, Bulgaria edition, she dominated the female cadet kumite 47 kg category, defeating opponents from France, Kosovo, Italy, and Spain, with a final score of 6-1 in the final. She also won the world youth championship title in Croatia, with decisive victories including an 8-0 in the final, and a bronze at the World Championships in Tenerife, Spain, placing her first in the WKF rankings and making her a candidate for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. Under the guidance of coach Denis Morozov, Polina successfully represented the national team of the Republic of Moldova, the largest at that European edition with 14 athletes. She competed in European and World Championships for cadets, juniors, and youth, contributing to the promotion of WKF karate-do, a discipline included in the Olympic program in 2016. The National Karate-do Federation of the Republic of Moldova highlighted her as a pioneer, with her performances raising the level of high-performance sports in the country. Born in the city of Rîbnița, Polina Gurenko began her karate career in a context favorable to the development of the sport in Moldova, where national federations and the Ministry of Youth and Sports support emerging talents. Although details about her personal life remain limited in public sources, her Ukrainian origin and dedication to the national team highlight the role of sports migrants in enriching the country's achievements, inspiring future generations in martial arts.