Both athletes were among a number of individuals and teams to receive awards for the their exploits over the past 12 months, including the women's biathlon relay team of Pidhrushna, Iuliia Dzhima, Vita and Valentyna Semerenko, who won Ukraine's only Olympic gold medal at Sochi 2014. 

The President of the Biathlon Federation of Ukraine Volodymyr Brynzak and team coaches Hrygoriy Shamray, Nadiia Bilova and Vasyl Karlenko were also given special gifts for their contribution to the team's success but it was the efforts of Ukrainians in 2013 that were the main focus.

Bondarenko was named male athlete of the year after securing high jump gold at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Moscow last year, while prior to her success in Sochi, female athlete of the year Pidhrushna picked up gold, silver and bronze medals at the biathlon World Championships in the Czech Republic.

Olena Pidhrushna followed up World Championship gold with Olympic gold in Sochi ©Getty Images



Artem Skorokhod was chosen as coach of the year after guiding Olga Kharlan, Galyna Pundyk, Olena Voronina and Alina Komashchuk to fencing gold and silver at last year's World Championships and European Championships respectively, which saw the quartet unsurprisingly awarded the team of the year prize.

The hero of Ukrainian sports (People's Choice) award went to Kharlan after she added individual gold to her team medals, at the World and European Championships.

World junior champion Komaschuk also picked up the Olympic hope of Ukraine award for her performances in Budapest and Zagreb.

The sensation of the year prize was bestowed on Anna Melnichenko for her superb effort in Moscow which saw her take the heptathlon World Championship crown, while freestyle wrestler Ibrahim Aldatov was awarded return of the year after he came back to the mat in 2013 to claim a world title and European bronze in the 84 kilogram class.

The Paralympic strong in spirit award was given to Olga Sviderska after her exploits at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships in Montreal, where she won an incredible seven gold medals.

Olga Kharlan was named as the 2013 hero of Ukrainian sport after taking world and European titles in fencing ©Getty Images



Speaking at the awards ceremony, which was also attended by Ukraine's Minister of Youth and Sports, Dmytro Bulatov, Bubka said: "It is nice to see our athletes in this hall - the pride and glory of Ukraine, in whose honour the national flag is raised and the national anthem is heard around the world [and] whose accomplishments praise us in the world.

"Each of you is a winner and a hero.

"Thank you for your dedication and love to sport."

Other honours on the night included sports organiser of the year which went to vice-president of the Gymnastics Federation of Ukraine, Iryna Deryugina, for her role in helping to host the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Kyiv.

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