Guards at the Invictus Games 2023: celebrations were held in Kyiv on the occasion of the departure of the National team to the competition
On August 15, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine held a solemn event on the occasion of the departure of the National Team of Ukraine to participate in the Invictus Games 2023.
In Düsseldorf, our country will be represented at the international adaptive sports competitions by a team of 25 veterans and veterans and servicemen. All of them are participants in the Russian-Ukrainian war who were wounded during or as a result of their duties in the combat zone.
This year, among the participants of the competition are four representatives of the National Guard. These warriors are an example of the fact that no trauma can break the strong spirit of Ukrainians.
The event took place before the team was sent to the third training meeting, which will be held in one of the countries of the European Union. Subsequently - to the competition Invictus Games 2023 in the city of Dusseldorf.
The goal of these games is not medals at all, but personal growth and positive changes in the lives of each of the national team members on their path of rehabilitation and successful rehabilitation. In Ukraine, the Games of the Invincible have a high social significance. They initiated the principles of sports rehabilitation of wounded veterans and servicemen in Ukraine, thereby changing the lives of hundreds of veterans and their families.
The event was attended by Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine Yulia Laputina, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Ukraine Martin Yeger, representatives of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine, ministries and departments, embassies of the countries participating in the Invictus Games, NGOs, as well as partners, family members and friends of our Invictus.
“Today I want to wish you, dear members of the national team, effective training and high achievements in sports competitions! The Invictus Games have a lot of attention in the world. I believe that thanks to you the flag of Ukraine will be raised repeatedly and our anthem will be heard! Good luck to you and achievements!”, - the head of the Ministry of Veterans addressed the participants.
But the ambassador of Germany to Ukraine Martin Yeager spoke about his country's support of the Ukrainian national team at the “Games of the Unconquered”.
“You go to compete in unusual sports games. Because the “Games of the Unconquered” has a special motto - Unconquered. And you are the symbol of this motto. All of you are distinguished first of all by great courage and great will. Your cohesion and human greatness is a model for all of us. You are a symbol of what distinguishes Ukraine. And no one can be a better ambassador of Ukraine in the world than you,” said Martin Yeager.
During its existence in Ukraine, the project has expanded the sports disciplines available to veterans, contributed to the launch of the state system of sports rehabilitation of wounded servicemen and veterans, and changed the lives of hundreds of veterans and their families, said Ihor Neskorenykh National Coordinator in Ukraine Ilona Voloshyna. This year, for the first time at international competitions, participants will compete in a new discipline - table tennis.
This year's international competitions will be held from September 9 to 16. The Ukrainian national team will participate in the following adaptive sports: archery, athletics, cycling, powerlifting (bench press), rowing on simulators, sitting volleyball, swimming, table tennis, wheelchair basketball.
Ukraine will be represented by Bondarchuk Veniamin, Voznyuk Nazar, Luchkiv Pavlo, Hera Volodymyr, Dmytrash Maksym, Derman Igor, Zaritsky Mykola, Tovkis Volodymyr, Kireyonok Yevhenii, Kobylianu Konstantin, Lagun Semen, Makovekovets Alexander, Moldun Ivan, Polovyan Dmitry, Ponomarev Oleksandr, Alimanova Yarina, Budko Oleksandr, Dolzhok Oleg, Zubov Maksym, Maznichenko Vadim, Paevska Yulia, Yarotsky Bohdan, Borodavka Vitaliy, Shevchuk Yuliya, Kozak Dmitry.
The Invictus Games are an international competition for veterans and servicemen who have been injured, injured or become ill in the line of duty.
The competition was founded by His Highness the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry in 2014. For the first time, Ukraine joined the Inconquered Games in 2017. Then she made her debut at the competition in Toronto. In 2018, Ukrainians competed in Sydney, Australia. In May 2020, due to quarantine restrictions caused by COVID-19, the competition was postponed to 2022. Then the Ukrainian national team of 19 athletes took part in the 2022 Invincible Games, which took place in the city of The Hague and won 16 medals in individual sports.
National Guard of Ukraine
