Larysa Varona | |
Nationality: | Belarusian |
Birth Date: | 1983 1, df=y |
Birth Place: | Krupki, Soviet Union |
Sport: | Paralympic Nordic skiing (Paralympic cross-country skiing and Paralympic biathlon), Paralympic rowing |
Disability Class: | LW6/8 |
Larysa Varona, also known as Larisa Varona, (born 22 January 1983) is a Belarusian cross-country skier, biathlete, and rower. She has represented Belarus at the Paralympics in 4 Winter Paralympics competing in cross-country skiing and biathlon events (2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018) and in a single Summer Paralympics event during the 2012 Summer Paralympics competing in the rowing event.[1]
Larysa Varona was born with a locomotor impairment on 22 January 1983. She started skiing at the age of eleven.
She made her Paralympic debut for Belarus at the 2006 Winter Paralympics at the age of 23 and managed to claim a silver medal in her first Paralympic event in the women's cross-country skiing 3 × 2.5 km relay open category becoming the youngest medalist for Belarus at the Winter Paralympics (at the age of 23).[2] Varona also competed at the 2010 Winter Paralympics clinching 2 bronze medals in the women's cross-country skiing 3 x 2.5 km relay open and women's cross-country skiing 5km classic events.[3] She also participated in the 2014 Winter Paralympics but did not achieve any medals in the competition.[4]
Varona also took part in international rowing competitions and got the opportunity to represent Belarus at the 2012 Summer Paralympics and competed in the mixed coxed four event.[5]