Author: Ihor Stelmach

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian professional athletes and some specialized adventurers joined territorial defense forces to help defend their country. Their specific skill sets have proven to be invaluable on the frontlines, though these individuals are far from their natural sporting environments. Among the skiers, bikers, climbers and other mountain pathfinders, the...

he 2023 Pavel Roman Memorial took place on November 10-12 in Olomonc, the Czech Republic. The event featured ice dance competitions in the novice, junior and senior categories. Ukrainian ice dancers captured gold medals in both the junior and senior divisions. Mariia Pinchuk and Mykyta Pogorielov won gold in seniors, posting scores of 64.62 points...

Ukrainians came away with a total of 29 medals at the IFBB World Bodybuilding Championships held in Santa Susanna, Spain, on October 31 through November 6. Ukrainian competitors won 11 gold medals, eight silver and 10 bronze medals, with men capturing seven, women winning 21 and one won by Viktoriia Lysenko and Oleg Danysh in...

His recent most outstanding male swimmer award at the 2023 World Junior Championships only cemented the impression that he has made in backstroke swimming. This summer, Ukrainian Oleksandr Zheltiakov won gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke events and won silver in the 50-meter event at the European Junior Championships in July and then...

Eight women’s teams and 12 men’s teams took part in the 2023 International University Sports Federation (FISU) World Cup Football tournament held in Jinjiang, China, on October 21-31. The Ukrainian women were represented by players from Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, and the men were represented by footballers from the State University of Trade...

The catchphrase on their soccer jersey reads: “Mariupol is Ukraine.” The women wearing the jerseys play for Mariupol women’s soccer team. Mariupol is the eastern port city that was completely devastated and captured by Russian forces last year after several months of brave resistance by out-gunned and out-manned Ukrainian forces, transforming it into a worldwide...

In a critical contest against Southam­pton on April 21 Arsenal found themselves down 2-0 a scant 14 minutes into the match. Someone needed to step up and rally the troops, and while most expected it to be captain Martin Odegaard, it was Oleksandr Zinchenko who brought his faltering teammates together. His message was clear –...

That Ukraine is fighting an ongoing war with Russia had little or nothing to do with the success Team Ukraine enjoyed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the 2023 World Combat Games on October 20-30. The competition in martial arts and combat sports attracted 1,500 athletes from more than 120 countries with athletes competing in 16...

The historic Head of the Charles Regatta is the world’s largest rowing event that draws talented competitors from all over the globe. Among those competing at this year’s edition from October 20-22 was a Ukrainian contingent led by 2012 Olympic gold medalist and European champion Nataliia Dovgodko. For her and her teammates, this preeminent event...

Ukraine was handed a partial closed-doors punishment and fined on October 20 after UEFA confirmed Ukrainian fans verbally accosted England and Italy with racist abuse in September. The penalty is a partial stadium closure and UEFA has hit the Ukrainian Football Association with a fine of 15,000 euros (nearly $16,000). The matches involved were the...

With the National Basketball Associa­tion’s (NBA) Phoenix Suns having made their move for Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma’s new destinations were rumored to be the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers, according to Yahoo Sports. Having played the past two seasons with the Washington Wizards, Kuzma declined his $13 million player option for next season and...

Thirty-eight-year-old Philadelphia 76ers forward P.J. Tucker spent parts of two seasons (2008-2009 and 2009-2010) playing for BC Donetsk of the Ukrainian Super League, among his five total years overseas. When he reminisces about his playing time in Ukraine, his thoughts go out to those he knew there, aware some were forced to flee their homeland...