On 30 June, Poltava hosted the fifth stage of the second all-Ukrainian round of “The Strong of Ukraine” adaptive sports competition among veterans and military personnel, organised by the Ukrainian Strongman Federation with the support of MPs Oleksii Ustenko and Mykhailo Ananchenko, the Poltava Regional Military Administration and sponsors. The main judge was People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Honorary President of the Ukrainian Strongman Federation (USF), World Strongman Champion Vasyl Virastiuk.
The event brought together 109 participants from different cities of Ukraine who competed in four adaptive disciplines: rowing on a simulator, bench press, air bike and kettlebell snatch.
Implementing the governmental experimental pilot project on the transition from military service to civilian life of war veterans through education, sports and rehabilitation, the teachers, students, athletes of Kettlebell Lifting Section of Poltava Polytechnic and graduates of the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” provided coaching support to war veterans at “The Strong of Ukraine” competition in the kettlebell snatch. The coaching team included:
- Oleksandr Tsybulko – student of group 302-FS of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports, Master of Sports of Ukraine in kettlebell lifting;
- Oleksandr Svyrydenko – student of group 302-FS of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports, Master of Sports of Ukraine in kettlebell lifting;
- Anton Chuika – student of group 302-FS of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports, Master of Sports of Ukraine in kettlebell lifting;
- Yevhen Ostapchuk – a graduate of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports, Master of Sports of International Class in kettlebell lifting;
- Vitalii Bilous – a graduate of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports, Master of Sports of International Class in kettlebell lifting;
- Yaroslav Sushko – a graduate of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports, Master of Sports of International Class in kettlebell lifting.
In the bench press discipline, among women, Liliia Zanko took first place, and among men, Yurii Syrov took second place in his category, and Alexander Mormulia took third place.
In the 30 kilocalorie air bike discipline, Oleksandr Alefirov won first place, while Oleksandr Ruban, Artem Pohorilyi and Yurii Syrov took second place in their respective categories.
In the rowing on a simulator discipline, Yurii Syrov took second place, and Oleksandr Alefirov took third place.
In the kettlebell snatch discipline, Serhii Slichenko took bronze and Yurii Syrov took gold.
“The Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports of Poltava Polytechnic proudly joined the organisation and holding of the inclusive competition “The Strong of Ukraine” for war veterans and military personnel, which was held for the second time in Poltava under the auspices of the Strongman Federation of Ukraine. This event is extremely important for our society, as it demonstrates the strength, courage and indomitable spirit of our veterans.
As part of a pilot project on the transition from military service to civilian life through education, sports and rehabilitation, our faculty provided qualified kettlebell lifting coaches for the competition. We are confident that such sporting events contribute not only to physical rehabilitation, but also to social adaptation and psychological rehabilitation of our heroes.
Our coaches worked with great enthusiasm and professionalism to provide the participants with all the necessary conditions to achieve the best results. We are proud of our veterans, our defenders, and strive to do our best to support them and further their fulfilment.
Poltava Polytechnic is always open for cooperation in such projects and is ready to further promote the implementation of initiatives that improve the lives of our defenders,” – commented Dean of Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports of Poltava Polytechnic Lina Rybalko.
“The Strong of Ukraine” is an all-Ukrainian adaptive sports competition for veterans as well as active servicemen and women who sustained injuries and wounds (visible and invisible) while participating in combat operations on the territory of Ukraine.
The first season of “The Strong of Ukraine” took place in 2023 in Poltava, Zhytomyr, Uzhhorod and Rivne. Eight winners of the competition formed a team to participate in the Arnold Schwarzenegger International Festival in Madrid. In the Spanish capital, the Ukrainian veterans set a world record in adaptive strongman: they pulled 4 trucks weighing 35 tonnes 20 metres in a sit-up in 30.69 seconds.
It should be recalled that the Veteran Development Centre teaches how to establish communication and legal interaction with war veterans, and the first graduation of veterans’ assistants in the Poltava region took place at the university.
Earlier, representatives of the Veteran Development Centre and the administration of Poltava Polytechnic took part in a meeting initiated by the Ministry of Veterans, a delegation of scientists and students of Poltava Polytechnic took part in the Regional Sports Forum of Veterans, and the Rector of Poltava Polytechnic took part in the organisational meeting of the rectors of the universities implementing the experimental government project for veterans.
The Veterans Development Centre of Poltava Polytechnic also discussed the peculiarities of communicating with combatants and war traumatised people.
Media Center of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
Using photos from the Poltava Regional Military Administration, ICTV
