BAKERSFIELD, Calif. KERO — After nine gymnasts from Kharkiv, Ukraine spent days at the border and nearly a month in foster care, a San Diego gymnastics instructor stepped up to help.
Elena Baltovick is the president of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics USA and has been coaching for years. She said that when the war in Ukraine was at its peak, she had to find a way to make a difference.
"Before they came here they spent about 40 days in a basement, so as i was trying to shuffle things around to figure out how to get them there, of course the hope definitely was not there. But once they know it was happening, tickets are bought, this gives huge amount of hope to them, but more for their parents, that they know they are going somewhere safe," said Baltovick.
The war has taken a toll on the gymnasts, but the goal now is to continue the training they began in Ukraine while adjusting to life in California. The Ukrainian team hopes to get to the World Cup and World Championships in October.
