Ukrainian Success at the 2025 World Games
Ukrainian athletes Khrystyna Moshenska and Marius-Andrei Balan have secured spots in the final top-ten voting for the 'Best Athlete of the 2025 World Games'. The duo earned a gold medal in the Latin program at the World Games in Chengdu, a major accomplishment for both. In the initial voting phase, the pair received 20,425 votes, placing third among thirty nominees. It is important to note that this first phase concluded on January 26, 2026, after which all vote counts were reset. The final round of voting will remain open until February 2, 2026. The World Games feature sports and disciplines not included in the Olympic program.
Bohdan Mochulskyi, who was also nominated for the 'Best Athlete of the 2025 World Games' title, did not advance to the final ten. In 2025, he became a three-time World Games champion and set a historic record for Ukraine. During the first voting stage, Mochulskyi garnered 3,964 votes and was the first Ukrainian to successfully defend a World Games title three times consecutively.
Competition and Broader Ukrainian Achievements
Khrystyna Moshenska's main rivals in the final vote are:
- Victoria Chavez of Mexico (flag football)
- Chia-Yung Tien (tug of war)
Voting is conducted in real-time on the official IWGA website, where each person can vote once every 24 hours.
It is also worth noting that Oleksii Sereda won the '2025 Athlete of the Year' award among European divers, with the European Aquatics Federation selecting a Ukrainian for this honor for the second time. This demonstrates the high level of achievement Ukrainian athletes are reaching across multiple international sports.
The participation of Khrystyna Moshenska and Marius-Andrei Balan in the final vote for 'Best Athlete of the 2025 World Games' underscores the significant progress of Ukrainian athletes on the global stage. This achievement not only marks the individual successes of the athletes but also highlights the overall development of sports culture in Ukraine. The successes of other Ukrainian athletes, such as Oleksii Sereda, point to a high standard of training and growing competitiveness among Ukrainian athletes in various sports.