Roman Kryvytskyi, three-time Ukrainian karate champion and president of the Kyiv city federation of kyokushin karate, spoke about his injuries sustained as a result of the war. In an interview, the athlete shared details of how he was injured on the front lines.
«It was the end of March - the beginning of April 2023. We were working in Ivanivske, near Bakhmut. It hit with an SPG (stationary anti-tank grenade launcher). I screamed, 'Left arm, left arm.' A comrade immediately applied a tourniquet. Fragments also hit my head - my helmet saved me. If it had been 2 cm lower - it would have been a '200', - noted Kryvytskyi.
Now Roman finds it difficult to engage in professional sports due to his injuries, but he expressed hope of returning to competitions and thanked the doctors for their help in restoring his arm, which allows him to train and continue serving.
Successes of Ukrainian Athletes in Various Competitions
Ukraine ranked among the top 10 in the overall medal standings of the European Youth Olympic Festival, winning 10th place and securing 5 gold, 8 silver, and 10 bronze medals. This result was the second best for Ukraine in the entire history of participation in such festivals, which began in 1993.
Ukrainian judokas particularly excelled, winning six awards. Ukrainian athletes also impressed with their results in swimming, athletics, taekwondo, shooting, gymnastics, and table tennis.