They glorify Ukraine: winners of the European Games awarded in Poltava

From June 21 to July 2, 2023, the third edition of the European Games took place in Krakow-Malopolska, Republic of Poland, with the participation of 48 countries. Out of the 28 disciplines in the European Games, 21 are Olympic sports, and 19 of them serve as qualification events for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The Ukrainian national team included 12 athletes from Poltava region, competing in boxing, canoeing, athletics, shooting, beach soccer, and Thai boxing.

The winners of the competitions are as follows:

Oleksandr Khyzhnyak: Champion of the III European Games in boxing. He won the "gold" in a fight against a Croatian athlete in the 80 kg category.

Lyudmyla Luzan: Champion of the III European Games in canoeing. She won the "gold" in the 500-meter single canoe race and the "gold" in the 500-meter double canoe race, paired with Valeriya Tereta. She also won the "silver" in the 200-meter single canoe race.

Oleh Kukharik and Ihor Trunov: They won the "gold" in the 500-meter double kayak race and the "silver" in the 500-meter quadruple kayak race.

Taisiya Babenko: Silver medalist in beach soccer at the III European Games.

Oleg Pryymachov: Champion in muay thai (Thai boxing). He defeated an Italian athlete in the 91 kg weight category.

Ivan Prymachenko: European Junior Wrestling Champion.

Anatoliy Novopisminnyi: Set two world records in classic powerlifting at the World Championships: 362.5 kg in the squat and a total of 940 kg in the three-lift discipline, raising the standards to a new level. He also won the "gold" in bench press with a result of 225 kg. He became the strongest athlete of the championship in the overall standings.

Today, the regional authorities congratulated the athletes at the Poltava Regional Boxing Association and presented them with certificates of monetary rewards.

"Our athletes once again prove that they are the best in the world. I personally observed all the performances of the Poltava boys and girls. Sometimes I had to switch between different broadcasts. Thanks to you, the anthem of Ukraine resounds throughout the world, and the blue and yellow flag is raised. You are an example for our young athletes," said Dmytro Lunin. "The region actively invests in sports. In recent years, it has been a priority for both the military administration and the regional council. Our task is to involve as many children as possible in sports."

The Chairman of the Poltava Regional Council, Oleksandr Bilenky, congratulated the athletes and their coaches:

"All sports are important. The main thing is that the flag of Ukraine is raised among the winners and medalists in almost every competition in which our athletes participate. This means that the country and Poltava region are moving in the right direction by investing in youth and sports. The spirit of Ukrainians is currently being forged in the war against Russia. We thank the Armed Forces of Ukraine for allowing us to build and develop Poltava region. Our Ukrainian sports are among the leaders in European and world sports."

Oleksandr Khyzhnyak, Olympic silver medalist and winner of the European Games, expressed his gratitude for the congratulations and emphasized that all of this became possible thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

"We are very happy that we have achieved such a high result - a gold medal at the European Games and a license to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. It is very valuable, honorable, and respectful for us. We are very proud that our city and region have secured the first license to participate in the Olympics. Therefore, we are very grateful to you for your constant support and attention. We thank the Armed Forces of Ukraine for giving us the opportunity to travel abroad. It is very important for us to have our country's anthem played and our flag raised."

Lyudmyla Luzan, a canoeist representing Poltava region in sports competitions, also thanked for the support:

"We feel that you support us, that you are interested in our victories during these challenging times. This is very important for us. It is important that we have the opportunity to train despite everything. And it is evident that these victories provide a boost and motivation for our people and our defenders. I am proud to represent our country at the international level. And I am very grateful to my coach, who puts a lot of effort and soul into me."

During the meeting, there were also discussions on pressing issues. Dmytro Lunin, the head of the Regional Boxing Association, emphasized the shortage of coaches in the region.

Meanwhile, the athletes pointed out that the development of sports requires appropriate infrastructure, and sometimes future champions do not even have a place to train.