The other day in Lviv, the Ukrainian Wrestling Association honored the champions and prize-winners of the world championships and their coaches. For many years in a row, on the eve of the New Year, wrestlers gather in a narrow circle to celebrate the best of the best. Thanks to the support of the reliable partners of the ASBU, the companies “Limo”, “Lanavitta”, “Karpatska Vortelna” and the hotel complex “Atlas” even during the war, sportsmen who represented the country worthily on the world stage received cash prizes.
Among the awarded freestylers: bronze medalists of the U23 World Championship Kerimov Kamil, Eric Arushanyan, Vadim Kurylenko, Sova and bronze medalist of the Adult World Championship Mykhailov Vasyl. Classics: World Championship and World Cup bronze medalist Andriy Kulyk, Adult World Championship bronze medalist Yaroslav Filchakov and U23 World Vice-Champion Mykhailo Vyshnevetskyi. And of course the girls who recently won the World Cup: World Cup champions Oksana Livach, Albina Rillya, Yuliya Tkach, Iryna Kolyadenko, Tetyana Sova, Alla Belinska and Anastasia Osnyach, as well as world vice-champion Oleksandra Khomenets, world bronze medalist Ilona Prokopevniuk, bronze medalist of the adult and U23 world championships, World Cup winner Alina Grushina, bronze medalists of the U23 World Championship Manola Skobelska, Anastasia Alpeyeva, Solomiya Vinnyk, as well as Kateryna Zelenykh (World Cup winner) and U23 world vice-champion, World Cup winner Iryna Bondar.
In total, over a hundred medals were won by wrestlers at the European and World Championships this year. We congratulate the athletes on the successful completion of the sports year and wish them to focus on preparing for the Olympics and obtaining Olympic licenses next year. And the Association of Sports Wrestling will make every effort to ensure that wrestlers and coaches have everything necessary for this.
The Minister of Youth and Sports and the President of the National Olympic Committee Vadim Gutzeit personally visited the wrestling festival to assure our athletes that the state and the NOC will also support freestyle and classical wrestlers as much as possible. The Minister congratulated the women’s team and coaches on their brilliant victory at the World Cup and presented thanks from the state to the wrestlers who are holding the sports front with dignity.
“Such events are necessary for our sports community. We need to be able to meet, shake hands, debrief and talk about goals for the future. – says Yuriy Kopytko, president of ASBU. – Such evenings unite even more and give our champions even more motivation and energy to continue to win and represent our country worthily. The mood is fighting and I hope that such an evening at the end of the year will become a new springboard for them to new achievements, because the fight for Olympic licenses is ahead.
I am extremely pleased that the Minister of Youth and Sports and the President of the NOC of Ukraine Vadim Gutzait visited us for the holiday, and he highly praised the results of the Wrestling Association. Having reliable support from the state and our partners, we look to the future with confidence, regardless of everything.”
During the solemn ceremony, those present were introduced to the activities of the International Charitable Foundation for the Development of Sports Wrestling. Founded two months ago by the leadership of the ASBU, the foundation has already managed to contribute its share to the common Victory of the Ukrainian people over the Russian invaders. The fund helps athletes and coaches who suffered because of the war, as well as families of fighters who died defending our land. Also, the Foundation has already managed to sign a memorandum of support for 125 separate TRO brigades, and the command of the brigade presented Yury Kopytko with a thank you during the event.
We all believe in the Victory of Ukraine and hope to celebrate the winners of sports competitions in a peaceful country next year.
