Nataliia Besidovska: Ukraine’s Rising Star in the 400 Meters
Nataliia Besidovska (born August 30, 2004) is a Ukrainian track and field athlete who specializes in the 400 meters and relay events. A national champion and two-time national indoor champion, Besidovska represents a new generation of Ukrainian sprinters who have developed their talents while their country faces extraordinary challenges. At just 21 years old, she has already made her mark on the international stage, contributing to Ukraine’s relay success at major continental championships while steadily improving her individual performances.
Early Years and Introduction to Athletics
Born in 2004, Nataliia Besidovska came of age during a transformative period for Ukrainian athletics. She discovered her passion for sprinting at a young age and quickly showed promise in the quarter-mile event. Like many young Ukrainian athletes, she developed through the country’s youth athletics system, which has historically produced world-class sprinters and relay specialists.
Besidovska’s talent became evident early in her career as she progressed through the age-group ranks. By the time she reached her mid-teens, she was already competing at a high level and catching the attention of national team selectors.
Junior Career and International Debut
Besidovska’s international career began in earnest in 2021 when, at just 16 years old, she was selected to represent Ukraine at the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya. This was a significant moment for the young sprinter—competing on the world stage in the U20 category while still age-eligible for U18 competitions demonstrated her precocious talent.
At the Nairobi championships, Besidovska contributed to Ukraine’s 4×400 meter relay squad, helping her team clock 3:39.61 on July 17, 2021—a time that remains her personal best in the event. This performance announced her arrival as a relay specialist with the potential for individual success.
The 2021 World U20 Championships were notable for being held during the COVID-19 pandemic, with several major athletics nations choosing not to send teams. For those who did compete, including Ukraine, it was an opportunity to develop young talent on the international stage. Besidovska made the most of this opportunity, gaining invaluable experience that would serve her well in the years to come.
The Challenge of War
Besidovska’s career, like that of all Ukrainian athletes, was fundamentally altered by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. She was just 17 years old when the war began, forcing her to adapt to circumstances no young athlete should have to face.
Ukrainian athletes have spoken extensively about the challenges of training during wartime: air raid sirens interrupting sleep, the constant worry for family members, disrupted training facilities, and the psychological toll of competing while their country is under attack. Over 480 Ukrainian athletes have been killed since the invasion began, a grim reminder of the stakes involved.
Despite these extraordinary challenges, Besidovska continued to develop as an athlete. The resilience shown by Ukrainian sprinters—training when possible, often abroad, while representing their nation at international competitions—has been one of the inspiring stories in global athletics. For young athletes like Besidovska, this determination reflects both personal ambition and a sense of duty to represent their country during its most difficult hours.
National Championship Success
Besidovska’s persistence paid off with significant domestic achievements. She claimed one outdoor national championship in the 400 meters, establishing herself as one of Ukraine’s top quarter-milers. Additionally, she has won two Ukrainian Indoor Championship titles, demonstrating her versatility and consistency across both indoor and outdoor seasons.
These national titles are particularly meaningful given the circumstances under which they were achieved. The Ukrainian Athletics Championships have continued despite the war, often held in western Ukrainian cities like Lviv that are farther from the front lines. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe visited the 2024 Ukrainian Championships in Lviv, describing the determination of Ukrainian athletes as “inspiring.”
For Besidovska, these championships represented not just personal achievement but also an opportunity to qualify for international competitions and continue representing Ukraine on the global stage.
Recent Performances and Current Form
The 2025 season marked a breakthrough for Besidovska. On June 17, 2025, competing at Arena SKIF in Lviv, she set her personal best in the individual 400 meters with a time of 54.64 seconds. This performance demonstrated significant improvement and established her as a legitimate senior-level competitor.
At the same meet, she also contributed to a Ukrainian 4×100 meter relay team that clocked 46.85 seconds, adding another dimension to her sprinting repertoire.
Her standout international performance of 2025 came at the Balkan Athletics Championships in Volos, Greece, held July 26-27 at the Panthessaliko Stadium. Besidovska was part of Ukraine’s mixed 4×400 meter relay team that claimed the bronze medal with a time of 3:25.28—a new personal best in the mixed relay event. The team finished behind gold medalists who clocked 3:24.66 and silver medalists at 3:24.86, in a closely contested final.
The Balkan Championships represented an important opportunity for Ukraine to compete and succeed at a regional championship level. Greece, the host nation, dominated the event with 13 gold medals, but Ukraine’s relay bronze demonstrated the depth of talent the country continues to develop despite the challenging circumstances.
Current World Ranking and Statistics
As of early 2026, Besidovska holds a World Athletics ranking of #640 in the women’s 400 meters. While this ranking reflects her status as a developing senior athlete, her trajectory suggests significant room for growth in the coming seasons.
Personal Bests:
- 400 Meters: 54.64 (June 17, 2025, Lviv, Ukraine)
- 4×400 Meters Relay: 3:39.61 (July 17, 2021)
- 4×400 Meters Mixed Relay: 3:25.28 (July 26, 2025, Volos, Greece)
- 4×100 Meters Relay: 46.85 (June 17, 2025, Lviv, Ukraine)
- 4×400 Meters Relay Short Track (Indoor): 3:48.80 (February 19, 2023, Kyiv, Ukraine)
Relay Specialist
While Besidovska has developed as an individual 400-meter runner, her value to Ukrainian athletics extends significantly through her relay work. She has been a consistent member of Ukraine’s 4×400 meter relay squads at both junior and senior levels, contributing to the country’s depth in this event.
The 4×400 meter relay has historically been a strong event for Ukraine, with the nation producing numerous talented quarter-milers who excel in the team format. Besidovska’s reliability and competitive spirit make her an asset for relay squads, where consistency and the ability to perform under pressure are paramount.
Her 2025 performance at the Balkan Championships in the mixed relay—an event that has grown in prominence since its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020—showed her adaptability to this newer format, which requires athletes to compete alongside both male and female teammates.
Looking Ahead
At 21 years old, Besidovska is entering what should be the prime years of her sprinting career. The 400 meters is an event where athletes often peak in their mid-to-late twenties, suggesting she has significant room for improvement.
Her goals likely include breaking into the sub-54-second range in the individual 400 meters, which would make her more competitive at major European and World Championships. For context, medal contention at European Championships typically requires times in the 50-51 second range, while World Championship finals generally see times under 50 seconds.
The 2027 European Games in Istanbul and future World Championships represent major targets on the horizon. If she continues her current trajectory of improvement, Besidovska could establish herself as a consistent international finalist within the next few Olympic cycle.
Social Media
Nataliia Besidovska maintains an active presence on Instagram under the handle @nataliooo_, where she shares glimpses of her training and competition life. Like many athletes of her generation, she uses social media to connect with fans and document her athletic journey.
The Bigger Picture
Besidovska’s story is inseparable from the broader narrative of Ukrainian athletics during wartime. She represents a generation of athletes who have had to mature quickly, balancing the normal pressures of elite sport with the existential concerns of life in a nation at war.
The determination of athletes like Besidovska serves as both inspiration and symbol for Ukrainians at home and abroad. When Ukrainian athletes take the track at international competitions, they carry with them the hopes of a nation, competing not just for medals but to remind the world that Ukrainian culture, sport, and identity endure.
As World Athletics President Sebastian Coe noted during his 2024 visit to Ukraine, “It was important for me to be here… at their national championships.” That recognition from the international athletics community underscores the significance of what Ukrainian athletes accomplish every time they compete.
Career Highlights
- National Champion: 400 Meters (Outdoor)
- Two-time National Indoor Champion
- Bronze Medal: 2025 Balkan Athletics Championships, Mixed 4x400m Relay
- World U20 Championships Participant: 2021 (Nairobi, Kenya)
- World Athletics Ranking: #640 in Women’s 400m (as of 2026)
Nataliia Besidovska continues to train and compete as part of the Ukrainian national team. Her career trajectory, marked by steady improvement and international experience gained at a young age, positions her as one of the athletes to watch as Ukrainian sprinting looks toward the future.
