On August 9, 2022, the National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport held a press conference with the winners and prize-winners of the European Universities Games 2022 and the World Futsal Championship with the participation of the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Serhii Shkarlet, the Deputy Chairman of the OPU, the President of the Badminton Federation of Ukraine Oleksii Dniprov, the President of the All-Ukrainian football association of students, deputy of the VRU Ivan Krulko, first deputy chairman of Physical culture and sports association “Dynamo” of Ukraine Viktor Korzh, president of the Sports Student Union of Ukraine, rector of NUUPES Yevhenii Imas, chairman of the Union of Rectors of Ukraine, rector of KNUCA Petro Kulikov, chairman of the Ukrainian Federation of Student Sports Roman Hreba, president of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine Vasyl Kremen as well as rectors of leading higher education institutions of Ukraine, who represented students at the European University Games.
“In this difficult time for Ukraine, when the war is going on, our students devotedly prepared and fought for victory in the prestigious world and European sports arenas – in the European Universities Games. According to the results of European competitions, our students from 41 universities of Ukraine won 62 medals: 19 gold, 25 silver and 18 bronze. These extremely high results show that student sports in Ukraine are not only developing, but even more so – we are leaders in the world and Europe! The whole country is proud of you – winners, prize-winners and participants of the European Universities Games and the World Futsal Championship! I am sure that many more victories await us ahead! We will worthily represent our universities and Ukraine at the next international student competitions!” – congratulated Serhii Shkarlet.
From July 14 to 31, 2022, the European Universities Games 2022 took place in the city of Lodz, in which 5 thousand students, 400 universities from 40 European countries took part. During the competition, the athletes of the Poltava Polytechnic represented Ukraine and our university with dignity. A student of the Educational and Research Institute of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Land Management of the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” Mykhailo Serdiuk became the kickboxing champion of the 2022 European Universities Games, and Anthony Jirkins won the silver medal.
The delegation of the student national team of Ukraine to the European Universities Games was formed in cooperation with universities and national federations. It included representatives of 41 institutions of higher education of Ukraine (230 athletes).
The Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Serhii Shkarlet, awarded student-athletes with Citations and honored the rectors of the universities represented by the winners. Students of the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” received the award:
Mykhailo Serdiuk – a second-year student of the specialty 192 “Construction and Civil Engineering”
Anthony Jirkins – bachelor of the specialty 192 “Construction and Civil Engineering”
The rector of the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor Volodymyr Onyshchenko was awarded the Citation of the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine. Earlier, at the General Assembly of the Sports Student Union of Ukraine, the rector of the Poltava Polytechnic was awarded for the development of student sports in the Poltava region.
“In 10 years of holding the most prestigious sports competitions among European students, for the first time in its history, the team of students of the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” made its debut and achieved a high result! Thank you, our incredible champions, for this celebration of hope, for inspiring successes! Students of Ukraine once again proven that they are the best in Europe!
On behalf of the students who represented the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” at these competitions, I thank my colleagues, the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Sports Student Union of Ukraine, the People’s Deputies of Ukraine for the faith in our students that they expressed — inclusion of students of the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” in the national team of Ukraine. It is a great honor and responsibility to participate in the most prestigious competitions among students in Europe! It was the first time in the history of our university and I am proud both as the rector of the university and as the head of the Poltava regional branch of the Sports Student Union of Ukraine that our students contributed to an extremely high result!
Ukraine took 2nd place in the total number of medals and 3rd place in the number of gold medals. Even during the war, our students made it so that the whole world froze in honor, listening to our Anthem of Ukraine, and we faithfully cheered for our athletes under the blue and yellow colors.
Among these achievements is the gold medal of the kickboxer Mykhailo Serdiuk, a second-year student of the specialty 192 “Construction and Civil Engineering”, a candidate for the Master of Sports of Ukraine in kickboxing, the champion of the Kickboxing World Cup 2021, a bronze medalist of the World Championship in Thai boxing, a 6-time champion of Ukraine in kickboxing and 3-time champion of Ukraine in Thai boxing. The athlete has achievements in two sports.
And also a silver medal in kickboxing of Anthony Jirkins – currently a bachelor of specialty 192 “Construction and Civil Engineering”, a candidate for Master of Sports of Ukraine in kickboxing, prize-winner of the Ukrainian Kickboxing Championship 2021, prize-winner of the Ukrainian Kickboxing Cups 2019, 2021.
Both athletes have been training in kickboxing for more than 8 years under the guidance of coach Zurab Abdulaiev, a graduate of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports of the Poltava Polytechnic.
Both are great patriots and are helping the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Mykhailo Serdiuk donated his World Championship Thai boxer’s armor as charity lots. I proudly competed with the honorable participants of the auction and, having won these lots, not only transferred the funds for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but also transferred the armor to the museum of sports glory of the university.
And I am very proud that the students are motivated by the example of another one of our star graduates, a two-time champion of the World Games and a multiple-time World Champion in Thai boxing — Oleh Pryimachov, with whom they continue to train and popularize the sport.
The strategy of developing a classical university as a modern space for students, with high-quality sports infrastructure, the establishment of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports, and the popularization of youth sports gives very important results. This would not be possible without a strong team.
With each ascent of our winning athlete to the sports pedestal, the whole of Ukraine ascends as well. This feeling of pride for the victory of our students instills faith and confidence in Ukraine’s victory over the enemy. And we will definitely win!
I thank you once again and wish further success, achievements and victories to our students and our country. You are the pride of our country! Thanks to you and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the whole country knows that we are not just strong, but the strongest! Everything will be Ukraine! Glory to Ukraine!” – commented Rector Volodymyr Onyshchenko.
“Ukraine has always performed well at world and European competitions, but I think there have never been such thrilling games as this year. For the first time, Ukrainian athletes had to perform in wartime conditions. And in these conditions, the team's trip to European games is a feat in itself. I am sincerely grateful to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Office of the President, the Verkhovna Rada, the Committee on Physical Education and Sports of the Ministry of Education and Science, as well as all rectors for making this possible. I express my sincere gratitude to all the athletes for the fact that they were able to prove themselves worthily in such conditions. Of course, I think we should thank the European sports structure, our Polish friend Adam Roczek, for helping us to participate in these competitions, for creating all the necessary conditions for our students to perform well. I am glad that the traditions of student sports in Ukraine are constantly growing, positive development is taking place. I am convinced that this is another manifestation of Ukrainian youth in the struggle for their national identity, for the integrity of Ukraine, for its sovereignty. Therefore, Glory to Ukraine, Glory to the Heroes, including those who are here now – our students!” – congratulated the athletes Honorary President of the Sports Student Union of Ukraine, President of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine Vasyl Kremen.
It should be recalled that a Polytechnic graduate won a gold award at the 2022 XI World Games, and a Polytechnic teacher won a silver medal at the European Powerlifting Championship.
Media Center of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
