Polianskyi was training in rowing for two years prior to the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. During that time he trained with coach Yuri Bondarenko in Dnipro.[3]
When Polianskyi was 18, his father died from a mining accident; his mother died two years later. Polianskyi has a younger sister.[2]
Initially Polianskyi competed in para-canoeing but switched to para-rowing once canoeing was not included in the Rio 2016 Summer Paralympics program.[5] Polianskyi competes in men's PR1 single sculls in para-rowing events.
The PR1 classification designates those para-rowing athletes who compete while mainly using their arms and shoulders.[6]
Polianskyi's first para-rowing sports race was in 2014 in Gavirate, Italy, where he came fourth.[5]
He won the gold medal in men's single sculls at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.[9][10] In the final race Polianskyi came ahead of the world champion, Erik Horrie of Australia, and the 2008 Paralympic champion, Tom Aggar of Great Britain. In that race Polianskyi also set a new Paralympic record, with the time of 04:39.56.[11][a]
He won the gold medal in the same discipline at the 2019 World Rowing Championships in Linz Ottensheim.[15] There he also set the new world record in PR1 men's single sculls, at 09:12.99, improving the previous world record by almost 4 seconds.[16][17] The victory qualified Polianskyi for participation in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.[18]
Polianskyi won the gold medal in PR1 single sculls at the Para Rowing International Regatta in Gavirate, Italy in 2017, and again in 2018.[19][20]
^Fletcher-Janzen, Elaine (March 2018). "Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia". In Cecil R. Reynolds; Kimberly J. Vannest; Elaine Fletcher-Janzen (eds.). Encyclopedia of special education, Volume 2. A reference for the education of children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and other exceptional individuals. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN978-0-470-94939-9.
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