Ukrainian Veterans Compete in International Sports Event in the USA
The national team of Ukrainian veterans will participate in an international sports event taking place in the USA for injured servicemen.
From February 20 to March 3, Ukrainian veterans will engage in the annual competitions organized for the Air Force and Marine Corps veterans.
The Air Force and Marine Corps Trials are part of the selection process for the Warrior Games, where representatives from various branches of the U.S. military compete.
Although the Ukrainian athletes will not be competing for a selection spot, they have been invited as an international team to enhance the competition's significance and foster experience sharing in veteran sports. Teams from Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom are also invited. The Ukrainian team consists of 15 athletes competing in 11 veteran sports disciplines.
Among them is veteran Valeriy Stalnichenko from Odesa, who will compete in basketball, rugby, volleyball, and archery.
The competition format is based on adaptive sports principles, ensuring equal conditions for all participants, considering their individual capabilities.
Each year, the competitions are held at different military bases in the USA, depending on which branch is hosting. In 2024, the Ukrainian team participated in the Trials in Las Vegas, marking a significant experience for our team’s development.
Athletes compete in the following disciplines:
- wheelchair basketball,
- wheelchair rugby,
- sitting volleyball,
- archery,
- rowing on ergometers,
- athletics,
- powerlifting,
- cycling,
- swimming,
- rifle shooting — a new and particularly exciting discipline for our team.
Thus, veteran sports are becoming not just an occasional event, but a sustainable support system that respects the experience, dignity, and strength of those who defended Ukraine. The formation, preparation, and participation of the Ukrainian team is managed by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine in collaboration with the initiative center “Come Back Alive,” in line with the implementation of the veteran policy strategy.
