Olympic Gold Medalist Nataliya Dobrynska Launches a One-of-a-Kind Competition in Vinnytsia

Introducing the Dobrynska NEXT Tournament

According to Главком: Nataliya Dobrynska, the 2008 Olympic heptathlon champion, has unveiled a brand-new national multi-event athletics competition called Dobrynska NEXT. Scheduled for May 23, 2026, the event will take place in Vinnytsia’s Central Park named after Mykola Leontovych. This tournament will bring together young and adult track-and-field athletes from across Ukraine, marking the first event of its kind in the country.

Tournament Program

The competition features different triathlon formats. Girls will compete in:

• hurdles
• high jump
• shot put

Meanwhile, boys will take part in:

• sprinting
• long jump
• shot put

Special races will also be organized for parents, encouraging families to embrace an active lifestyle.

Beyond her Olympic triumph, Dobrynska is also the 2012 world champion in the women’s indoor pentathlon. Until March 2023, she held the world record in that discipline with 5,013 points, a mark later surpassed by Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam. Dobrynska has also earned silver medals at the World Indoor Championships in the pentathlon in 2004 and 2010, and was the European vice-champion in the heptathlon in 2010.

The athlete represented Ukraine at three Summer Olympics. In 2004, she finished eighth, and in 2010, she did not complete the event. In 2023, Dobrynska was elected to the council of World Athletics, replacing Sergey Bubka, who had served on the council since 2001.

The Dobrynska NEXT tournament promises to be a standout event in Ukrainian sports, helping to develop youth athletics and promote a healthy lifestyle. It also highlights ongoing efforts to support and grow sports in Ukraine, as involving young people in competitions can help nurture new athletic talent and raise the overall level of sports culture in the country.

As Ukrainian athletes gear up for various competitions, the upcoming international events, such as the World Championships in Botswana, reflect the growing momentum in the sports scene. These tournaments not only showcase individual talent but also foster a sense of community and national pride, much like the Dobrynska NEXT tournament aims to do for aspiring athletes in Ukraine.