PARIS (AP) — Oksana Kozyna’s Paralympic debut was sure to have some unexpected moments, but the surprise she received might beat anything that could have happened on the court.
The Ukrainian para badminton player was raised in an orphanage for disabled children in Dnipro, Ukraine, alongside teammate Oleksandr Chyrkov. Before her first singles match in the SL3 classification (standing with lower limb impairment), she met one of her former teachers from the orphanage — a reunion that brought back memories of learning the sport while also featuring all the emotions felt by Ukrainians as the war continues back home.
“I didn’t recognize her at first and then, when I recognized her, I just couldn’t believe it,” Kozyna said of her teacher, Svitlana Shabalina, while meeting with reporters Sunday evening. “It’s like a dream.”
Shabalina had left the orphanage years earlier and recently emigrated to Sweden. Kozyna fled Ukraine shortly after Russia attacked in 2022 and now lives with Chyrkov, two other Ukrainian athletes and their families in France, where she trained for the Paralympics.
Kozyna has been a key player in Ukrainian para badminton since winning silver at the European Championships in 2017. The 29-year-old also won Ukraine’s first world para badminton championship in 2022.
Shabalina didn't plan to see her former students. Chyrkov actually surprised Shabalina while training near where she lives in Sweden. The two had stayed in touch in the years after Chyrkov left the orphanage, and he invited Shabalina to watch him and Kozyna compete. Two weeks before the games began, Shabalina decided to go.
“Ever since we began the war, we’ve tried to figure out how to do it in a proper way,” Chyrkov said. “It really helped because a lot of Ukrainians came and supported.”
Kozyna said the trio has spent the last few days discussing how life has changed since they left the orphanage. Kozyna had not seen Shabalina since before the war began.
Kozyna had her first women’s singles loss on Sunday, falling in straight sets to No. 1 seed Qonitah Ikhtiar Syakuroh of Indonesia. She will play Nigerian Mariam Bolaji for the bronze medal on Monday.
“I did have favorite pupils, (and) they were one of them,” Shabalina said about Kozyna and Chyrkov. “I loved what I do and my kids, because I really think they are like my kids.”
Jack Leo is a student in the undergraduate certificate program at the Carmical Institute of Sports Media at the University of Georgia.
AP Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games
From left, Oksana Kozyna, Svitlana Shabalina, and Oleksandr Chyrkov of Ukraine pose for a portrait at Arena Porte de La Chapelle during the Paralympic Games in Paris on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Avni Trivedi)
Oksana Kozyna, from Ukraine, lunges to hit the shuttlecock during the semifinal match of the Para Badminton SL3 classification against Qonitah Ikhtiar Syakuroh from Indonesia during the Paralympic Games in Paris on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. Syakuroh won the game in straight sets. (AP Photo/Avni Trivedi)
Oksana Kozyna, from Ukraine, reaches to hit the shuttlecock during the semifinal match of the Para Badminton SL3 classification against Qonitah Ikhtiar Syakuroh from Indonesia during the Paralympic Games in Paris on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. Syakuroh won the game in straight sets. (AP Photo/Avni Trivedi)
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 7, 2025--
Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., the leading global Japanese hotel operator, is pleased to announce the conclusion of a new management agreement with Asset World Corporation (AWC), Thailand's leading integrated lifestyle real estate group. Signed on December 19, 2024, the agreement paves the way for two new hotels – Okura Resort Chiang Mai in the historic city of Chiang Mai, and The Okura Prestige Sukhumvit Bangkok Hotel and Spa in Bangkok's trendy Thonglor district. Both properties are slated to open in 2028, expanding Hotel Okura's Thai offering to seven hotels and adding over 400 rooms to Okura Nikko Hotels' portfolio in the country.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250106083426/en/
Hotel Okura's relationship with AWC, a major operator of Thai development projects, has gradually strengthened since the 2012 opening of The Okura Prestige Bangkok. Their most recent joint venture is the Okura Cruise, a Chao Phraya River dinner cruise ship that launched on December 20, 2024.
Okura Resort Chiang Mai, located in Thailand’s second-largest city, will be the first Okura-branded hotel in Northern Thailand. The Okura Prestige Sukhumvit Bangkok Hotel and Spa will offer Japanese-style wellness services and long-term stays in the Thonglor district of Bangkok, home to many Japanese expatriates and other foreign residents. Both hotels will blend Japanese hospitality with local culture, aiming to create luxurious and sustainable experiences, and in line with the rise of health-conscious travel, both properties will also focus on wellness.
Okura Resort Chiang Mai will be situated on the bustling Chang Klan Road, a major tourist hub known for its night markets and local cuisine. It will feature over 200 rooms, with sizes ranging from 40 to 120 square meters; their design will blend ryokan-style elements such as tatami mats and open-air baths with influences from the Lanna culture of ancient Chiang Mai. The hotel will feature a cafe, rooftop bar, and other food and beverage facilities, offering Japanese cuisine and all-day dining. These amenities will provide guests with a blend of Japanese and Northern Thai culinary experiences.
The Okura Prestige Sukhumvit Bangkok Hotel and Spa will be located in Thonglor, a district of Bangkok popular with expatriates. The hotel will offer long-term stays and a wellness program combining traditional Japanese approaches with modern wellness techniques. It will feature over 200 rooms averaging 45 square meters in size, including suites with the atmosphere of a traditional Japanese-style ryokan and with western-style conveniences. Guests will be able to enjoy views across Bangkok from the sky lobby and rooftop bar, and dine on healthy meals at the outdoor pool cabana.
Toshihiro Ogita, President, Hotel Okura, said: “We are delighted to reach another milestone with AWC through the development of new projects in Thailand, building on the success of The Okura Prestige Bangkok. We are particularly excited to bring the Okura brand to Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand for the first time. Our commitment to offering world-class hospitality, blending the elegance of Japanese culture with local charm, is unwavering. Our global network of high-quality international hotels seamlessly blends the delicate beauty and subtleties of Japanese culture with convenience and functionality. These additional collaborations with AWC will surely offer exceptional experiences and excellent service to both Thai guests and tourists from around the world.”
The two hotels will operate as part of a larger framework agreement with AWC signed in May 2024 aimed at expanding Hotel Okura’s business in Thailand. By the time of their planned opening in 2028, Okura Nikko Hotels expects to be operating seven hotels and approximately 2,000 rooms in Thailand. Under its long-term partnership with AWC, Hotel Okura will continue to develop hotels aimed at welcoming residents of Thailand and overseas visitors. The two companies thereby aim to contribute to the further development of Thailand's tourism industry, offering unique experiences rooted in the spirit of Japanese hospitality.
About the New Hotels
Okura Resort Chiang Mai
Location: Chang Klan Road, Chiang Mai, Thailand
No of rooms: Approx. 220
Restaurants: Japanese cuisine, all-day dining, cafe, lounge, rooftop bar
Additional facilities: Fitness center, spa, outdoor pool
Banquet halls and meeting rooms: 8
Access: Approx. 15 mins by car from Chiang Mai International Airport
The Okura Prestige Sukhumvit Bangkok Hotel and Spa
Location: Sukhumvit 38, Thonglor District, Bangkok, Thailand
No of rooms: Approx. 240
Restaurants: Japanese cuisine, all-day dining, bar
Additional facilities: Fitness center, spa, outdoor pool
Banquet halls and meeting rooms: 3
Access: Approx. 40 mins by car from Suvarnabhumi International Airport; approx. 1 min on foot from BTS Skytrain Thong Lo Station
About Asset World Corp Public Company Limited
Asset World Corp Public Company Limited (AWC), Thailand’s leading integrated lifestyle real estate group and a member of TCC Group, is redefining the country’s landscape of hospitality, commercial workspaces, and iconic lifestyle destinations with its diversified portfolio, strategically located in prime areas across the nation. Committed to creating new landmark projects that not only set new benchmarks for the industry but also strengthen Thailand’s position as a global sustainable tourism destination, AWC collaborates with world-renowned partners, including Marriott International, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Nobu Hospitality, Okura Hotels, Banyan Tree, Melia International, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Accor, and Hyatt, to deliver unforgettable experiences. Its portfolio features flagship commercial properties such as The Empire, Athenee Tower, Asiatique The Riverfront Destination, and Phenix, along with premier F&B destinations like 'EA' Rooftop at The Empire, offering world-class top cuisine. AWC is committed to delivering exceptional experiences while championing sustainability in every part of its operations to create long-term sustainable value for all stakeholders through initiatives under three key pillars of Better Planet, Better People, and Better Prosperity (3BETTERs), driving innovation and responsibility to inspire millions and elevate Thailand’s tourism and real estate industry to new heights. For more information, visit www.assetworldcorp-th.com/en/home.
About Hotel Okura Co., Ltd.
Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., founded in 1958, opened its flagship Hotel Okura Tokyo in 1962 as a first-class hotel that quickly became renowned worldwide for its blending of traditional Japanese beauty with the very best in accommodation, cuisine and service. It closed its doors in August 2015, and after four years of rebuilding work reopened as The Okura Tokyo in September 2019. Hotel Okura has extensive expertise in the hospitality world, including asset ownership and hotel development, as well as hotel management, the restaurant business and chain operations through its subsidiaries and other group companies. The brand unites member hotels under its “Best Accommodation, Cuisine and Service” philosophy to ensure that all guests enjoy Okura’s signature hospitality, which combines Japanese attention to detail and Western functionality. Please visit www.okura.com.
Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hotel Okura, operates 81 properties (54 in Japan and 27 overseas) encompassing some 24,088 guest rooms (as of January 1, 2025) under three hotel groups: Okura Hotels & Resorts, Nikko Hotels International and Hotel JAL City. Please visit www.okura-nikko.com.
Asset World Corporation CEO & President Wallapa Traisorat (center left) and Hotel Okura President Toshihiro Ogita (center right) at the signing ceremony (Photo: Business Wire)
