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The European Triathlon Junior Cup in the supersprint distance and mixed-relay saw a significant presence from Ukraine. Among the experienced participants were several debutants on the international stage – Maksym Nesvat, Maksym Usanin, Markiyan Harmatiy, Kyrylo Levytskyi, Daryna Horb, and Anna Korotyayeva. In total, 12 Ukrainian men and 5 women took to the start line for the European Cup Chisinau.

Illia Honcharuk and Vladyslav Mykytenko finished in the Top 20, earning their first points in the Europe Triathlon Junior Ranking, which already includes four Ukrainians. The scores of the top three representatives from each nation contribute to the National Federation Rankings. Fedir Bezlepkin, Illia Honcharuk, and Yurii Tiuitiunnyk form the leading trio, with Vladyslav Mykytenko as the fourth Ukrainian in the Rankings.

In the women’s category, Ukrainian Dana Soroka emerged as a leader from the swim and maintained her position in the cycling. During the run, the national team reserve member posted the fastest time in the race. Dana clinched her first international victory, leaving Spain’s Cristina Jimenez-Orta Guerrero behind.

Last year, at the European Youth Championships, Cristina finished seventh in the “A” final, while Dana competed in the “B” final. At the season’s start, the Spaniard was on the podium in Quarteira and Melilla, while the Ukrainian was battling for junior ranking points in the same races. Cristina took a break from competitions until Chișinău, while Dana finished in the top ten in Olsztyn and Izvorani. In Moldova, Soroka outpaced Jimenez-Orta Guerrero, earning 400 points in the Junior Ranking. Both leaders will continue their season in Balıkesir, where the Junior European Championships are scheduled.

In the Women’s Europe Triathlon Junior Ranking, Dana Soroka climbed to sixth place. This marks her fourth scoring start out of five possible (the best three results count toward the final sum). Sofiia Bondarenko also secured her third set of points in the rankings, finishing tenth. After Chisinau, Ukraine now has three participants in the rankings, whose combined points contribute to the National Federation Standings.

In the mixed-relay, eight teams from five countries, including two from Ukraine, took to the start. Yurii Tiuitiunnyk, Dana Soroka, Fedsr Bezlepkin, and Sofiia Bondarenko formed the first team, while Illia Honcharuk, Daryna Horb, Zakhar Tsivkovskyi, and Anna Korotyayeva comprised the second team.
Yurii Tiuitiunnyk and Dana Soroka delivered the best results among Ukrainians in the relay! Yuriy handed off the baton alongside the leading trio, while Dana caught up with the Bulgarians, moving the team into third position. Fedшr Bezlepkin continued the relay and passed the baton to Sofiшa Bondarenko, who, unfortunately, did not finish due to a fall in the cycling segment, resulting in an injury.

The second team finished the race. In the final, the Ukrainians placed fifth, with Illia Honcharuk, Daryna Horb, Zakhar Tsyvkivskyi, and Anna Korotyayeva adding 292 points to the NFs Rankings.

Ukraine concluded the European Cup in Chisinau with a combined total of three men and three women in the individual rankings, along with relay points from Izvorani and Chisinau. Ukraine re-entered the top ten, finishing eighth among 32 European countries.

The Ukrainian Triathlon Federation expresses sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and our sponsor, TM “Ministry of Doors”, for their unwavering support of the junior team, from providing racing suits to purchasing bicycles.

Dear Leadership of the World Triathlon,

We are writing to you with profound anger and disappointment regarding the continued inclusion of Russian athletes in international competitions. It is appalling that we have yet to receive a response to our previous correspondence on this grave matter.

The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought immense suffering and destruction, most recently exemplified by a terror attack on a children’s hospital. This heinous act, targeting the most vulnerable and innocent members of society, has shocked and horrified the world. Amid such barbarity, it is utterly incomprehensible that athletes affiliated with the Russian military are allowed to compete in international events. This is not only a disgrace but also a direct slap in the face to the values of humanity and justice.

Diana Isakova, a lieutenant in the Russian army, was permitted to compete and even win a bronze medal at the World Triathlon Cup in Tiszaujvaros; Denis Kolobrodov is a sergeant in the Russian army; Ilya Prasolov, a lieutenant in the Russian army, as well as Grigory Antipov and Georgiy Klimenko, also participated in this competition. These individuals, who are active members of the military and actively supporting invasion responsible for heinous acts in Ukraine, should have no place in events that are meant to celebrate peace, unity, and fair competition.

Allowing these Russian military personnel to participate in international competitions is tantamount to endorsing the Russian government’s brutal aggression. This blatant disregard for the suffering in Ukraine is deplorable, especially when so many European nations are standing firmly against this invasion. It is beyond comprehension how the World Triathlon can condone such participation, undermining the solidarity shown by the global community in support of Ukraine’s fight for freedom and democracy.

The recent bombing of the biggest children’s hospital is a particularly egregious example of the war crimes being committed by Russian forces. This attack killed and injured innocent children and medical staff, causing untold grief and trauma. The hospital, a supposed sanctuary of healing, was turned into a scene of carnage. This appalling act highlights the ruthless nature of the Russian military, making it even more unacceptable that their athletes are allowed to compete internationally as if they were representatives of a peaceful nation.

The inclusion of such athletes, who are members of the Russian military and actively supporting the war, is not just an oversight; it is a moral failing of the highest order. It sends a message that the international sporting community is willing to turn a blind eye to the atrocities being committed by the Russian military. This is a betrayal of the very principles that sports are supposed to embody: respect, integrity, and solidarity.

We demand that the World Triathlon Executive Board immediately ban Russian athletes with military affiliations from participating in international competitions. The integrity of sport and the principles it stands for must be upheld. This issue cannot be ignored, and action must be taken now to rectify this egregious wrong.

Furthermore, we insist on being informed if the stance on Russian athletes has changed, and if so, we demand that this be communicated to us in writing. The continued allowance of Russian military personnel in international competitions is not only deplorable but disgusting.

We expect a prompt and decisive response to this urgent matter. The world is watching, and it is imperative that the World Triathlon aligns itself with justice and humanity.

Sincerely,

Bogdan Mykhalus
President of the Ukrainian Triathlon Federation

Protest Against the Inclusion of Russian Military Personnel in Competitions

The Sunny Valley in the Chernivtsi region once again hosted a thrilling triathlon event. This time, the village of Boyany determined the Ukrainian champions in the sprint distance and mixed relay.

Kyiv’s Daryna Moskalenko secured a decisive victory among the women. Kseniia Levkovska finished second, and Sofiya Pryyma took third place. Competing closely with the leaders were Sofiia Bondarenko and Margaryta Menshykova.

Among the men, Vitaliy Vorontsov reigned supreme, with Ivan Shevchenko claiming second place over Oleksii Astafiev-Kulish. Challenging the leaders were Serhii Kostenko, Anton Blokhin, and Denys Mykitiuk.

In the youth category, Ivan Shevchenko and Mariia Aha emerged victorious. Daria Berezhna and Sofiia Parasotchenko, along with Ivan Tkachenko and Ostap Heviak, took the podium places.

Junior champion Maksym Usanin led the boys, with Maksym Nesvat and Yurii Tiutiunnyk also making the podium. In the absence of the group leader, Sofiia Bondarenko dominated the junior girls’ category. Maryam Sadygova and Kira Agafonova completed the podium.

Dana Soroka led the girls’ group, with Maria Ivashchenko and Veronika Mysak as the runners-up. Fedir Bezlepkin became the boys’ champion, finishing ahead of Arsen Adamov by one and a half minutes, while Hlib Yakubets took third place.

In the cadet super-sprint category, Amina Marchenko and Zakhar Tsikovsky claimed victory. Arina Gryban and Anna Korotyaeva, along with Markiyan Harmatiy and Daniil Uminsky, were among the medalists. Full results are available via the provided link.

The Ukrainian Mixed Relay Championship attracted 14 teams from seven regions and Kyiv. Champions Vitaliy Vorontsov, Darina Moskalenko, Oleksiy Aksinushkin, and Maryna Kyryk led the race. They were followed by Lviv’s team of Ostap Heviak, Dana Soroka, Bohdan Stasenko, and Sofiya Pryyma. The team from the Dnipropetrovsk region, consisting of Dmytro Malyar, Karina Yevtushenko, Denys Mykitiuk, and Mariia Aha, finished third.

In the junior category, six teams from three regions competed. The team from Poltava, represented by Dmytro Kasianenko, Maria Ivashchenko, Arsen Adamov, and Daryna Horb, won the mixed relay championship. The youth teams from the Cherkasy region claimed the remaining podium spots. Ivan Zhyvotkov, Anna Korotyaeva, Viktor Matiushkin, and Amina Marchenko took silver, while Artem Kryvoruchko, Dariya Zadera, Yehor Kornienko, and Polina Taran secured bronze. Full results are available via the provided link.

From June 1st to 3rd, Vynnyky village in the Lviv region hosted the Ukrainian Triathlon Super Sprint Championship, determining the national champions among the elite, U23, juniors, and youth 16-17. The event also included the Ukrainian Cup for youth 14-15.

In the water, Maryna Kyryk was unmatched among the women, while a leading group quickly formed among the men. Vitaliy Vorontsov and Ivan Shevchenko battled it out for the victory, with the win going to the Kyiv native. The first among the chasers was Yulian Demyanov, who left the honorable fourth place to Oleksii Astafiev-Kulish. They were followed by Denis Mykityuk, Dmytro Malyar, Serhiy Kostenko, and Serhiy Badyak, who all finished in the top eight. Closing the top ten were Fedor Bezlepkin from Dnipro and Yuriy Tyutyunnyk from Poltava.

During the women’s cycling stage, Maryna was caught by her pursuers, and the race restarted on the running stage. The running stage decided the winner, with Daryna Moskalenko from Kyiv crossing the finish line first, leaving the second place to Eva Soroka. Maryna Kyryk from Kyiv took third place. They were followed by Sofiya Pryyma and Dana Soroka from Lviv, Ksenia Levkovska, Karina Yevtushenko, Sofiia Bondarenko, Mariia Aga, and Margaryta Menshykova.

Among the youth, Ivan Shevchenko from Donetsk and Mariia Aga from Dnipro emerged victorious. The podium was completed by Ostap Heviak from Lviv and Yehor Mychko from Poltava, while Daria Berezhna and Anna Merezhko from Cherkasy took the women’s podium places.

Only three men started among the juniors. Yuriy Tyutyunnyk left the podium to Cherkasy representatives Maksym Nesvat and Maksym Usanin. Eva Soroka crossed the finish line a minute ahead of Sofiia Bondarenko from Poltava, with Kira Agafonova from Donetsk securing the bronze medal in her age group.

Lviv’s Dana Soroka was unbeatable among the girls. Gloria Kershkova from Kyiv and Veronika Mysak from Lviv shared the podium with the leader. Among the boys, Fedor Bezlepkin and Zakhar Tsivkovsky from Donetsk led the race. Fedor was unmatched in the running stage. The first chaser was another representative from the Donetsk region, Hlib Yakubets.

The Ukrainian Cup for cadets was won by Amina Marchenko (Cherkasy region) and Lviv’s Markiyan Harmatiy. The podium also included Oleksandra Boronina from Zhytomyr and Anna Korotyaeva (Cherkasy region), and among the boys, Danylo Uminskyi from Zhytomyr and Yehor Kornienko (Cherkasy region). Competitors included Rostyslav Siheyev and Andriy Kopyl, while Sofia Bahinska stood out among the cadet girls.

For detailed results, please follow the link.

On May 25, in Olsztyn, Poland, 400 points were up for grabs in the Junior ranking. Ukrainian Eva Soroka was unbeatable among the junior women, leaving behind Dutch athlete Sonja De Koning and Estonian Liis Kaptain.

Polish athlete Martyna Gajda led the swim, followed by a group of participants who formed the leading peloton during the cycling stage. The race restarted on the running stage, where the Ukrainian was unstoppable. Eva Soroka crossed the finish line with a minute’s advantage over the Dutch competitor, who secured the silver medal.

This marks Eva’s third scoring start in the European Cup, propelling her to the top of the junior rankings! Dana Soroka also contributed to Ukraine’s national cup standings by finishing eighth.

Following the points earned by Fedor Bezlepkin in Turkey, where Ukraine placed 12th, and the impressive results of the Soroka sisters in Poland, Ukraine rises to the 11th position in the Nations Cup.

A week earlier, on May 18, Ksenia Levkovska represented Ukraine at the Triathlon World Cup in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

On May 11, at the Asia Triathlon Cup Taizhou, China, participants competed for 265 points in the world rankings on the standard distance. Vitalii Vorontsov started the running stage in a group chasing the leaders. Displaying impressive speed, the Ukrainian regained his position and crossed the finish line in 22nd place. As a result of the competition, Vorontsov now holds the 111th position in the world rankings and continues his quest for a European slot at the Olympic Games.

Prior to this event, the Ukrainian athlete participated in the World Triathlon Cup Chengdu, which took place on April 29.