Let’s remember the past year
Outgoing 2023 turned out to be incredibly difficult for Ukraine. The second year of the war, a difficult and at times very difficult situation on the fronts, attacks by missiles and UAVs even in deep rear cities, pain from the loss of relatives, friends, acquaintances. Difficulties in the economy caused by the war, the lack of calm and comfortable conditions for preparing and holding competitions – all this could not but affect Ukrainian sports.
But even in such conditions our athletes and teams gave us many bright moments. Let’s remember the main ones.
JANUARY
At the Winter Universiade in Lake Placid, America, the Ukrainian team won six medals – one gold, one silver and four bronze. In the medal standings, the Ukrainian team took 18th place out of 43 teams.
Three Ukrainians at once – Katerina Beindl, Marta Kostyuk, Angelina Kalinina – reached the 1/8 finals of the Australian Open.
WBA world flyweight champion Artem Dalakyan defended his title in London, defeating a rather dangerous opponent at Wembley Arena, Costa Rican David Jimenez.
Middleweight Karen Chukhadzhyan failed to win the interim IBF middleweight title in a fight against American Jaron Enis. But he became only the third boxer who managed to go the entire distance of the fight with a formidable knockout artist (31-0, 28 KOs).
FEBRUARY
Ukrainian athletes won two bronze medals at the World Championships in freestyle skiing and snowboarding. Anastasia Novosad took third place in acrobatics, and then she, together with Dmitry Kotovsky and Alexander Okipnyuk, became third in team acrobatics.
Former world light heavyweight champion Alexander Gvozdyk returned to the professional ring after a 3.5 year break, defeating Jose Obando.
Ukrainian Bellator fighter Yaroslav Amosov successfully defends the organization’s welterweight title, defeating Logan Storley.
MARCH
The Ukrainian karate team took third place in the team competition at the European Championship. Andrey Zaplitny and Anzhelika Terlyuga, as well as the Ukrainian team, took gold. Silver belongs to Anita Seregina.
APRIL
Ukrainian freestyle wrestlers won seven medals at the European Championships. Vasily Mikhailov, Alina Grushina and Irina Kolyadenko won gold, Alla Belinskaya won silver, Eric Arushanyan, Igor Nikiforchuk and Tatyana Ryzhko won bronze.
Ukrainians took two awards at the continental championship in Greco-Roman wrestling. Yaroslav Filchakov won silver, Parviz Nasibov won bronze.
MAY
At the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, Ukraine takes silver in the team, and Viktoria Onoprienko takes a similar award for exercises with a hoop.
Elina Svitolina triumphantly returns to the WTA tour after a break due to the birth of her child. Elina wins the tournament in Strasbourg, and then, starting with a “special rating” at Roland Garros, reaches the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Vasily Lomachenko failed to become the absolute world lightweight champion on his second attempt. The Ukrainian had a good and very close fight with Devin Haney, but lost to the American by decision.
JUNE
At the European Games in Krakow, Ukraine wins 41 medals (21-12-8) and takes third place in the team competition.
The Ukrainian youth team puts on an incredible performance at the European Championships. Ruslan Rotan’s team scores seven points in three group stage matches against Spain, Croatia and Romania and advances to the playoffs. In the quarterfinals, the blue-yellows defeat one of the main favorites, France, but in the semifinals they lose heavily to Spain. Reaching the top four teams in Europe brings Ukraine its first ever ticket to the final tournament of the Olympics.
JULY
Elina Svitolina is rising higher in the rankings, regaining her former positions. At Wimbledon, the Ukrainian reaches the semifinals. Another of our athletes, Lyudmila Kichenok, together with Mate Pavic, became the winners of the mixed doubles tournament.
Ukrainians win two medals at the World Aquatics Championships. Kirill Bolyukh and Alexey Sereda took second place in synchronized diving from the 10-meter platform. In artistic swimming, the Ukrainian team won bronze in the free program.
AUGUST
Excellent performance by Ukrainian women at the World Athletics Championships. Yaroslava Maguchikh wins gold in the high jump, Marina Bekh-Romanchuk – silver in the triple jump. The girls’ two awards bring the country to 14th place overall.
The country’s women’s volleyball team reaches the 1/8 finals of the European Championship.
WBA/WBO/IBF/IBO world champion Alexander Usyk defeats Briton Daniel Dubois ahead of schedule in Wroclaw, Poland, defending his titles. In the same city and as part of the same boxing evening, Denis Berinchik throws a bright fight with Anthony Yigit, gaining another victory.
SEPTEMBER
At the World Weightlifting Championships, Ukrainian athletes take four medals. Kamila Konotop wins silver in the roar and total, as well as bronze in the clean and jerk. Anastasia Manevskaya becomes third in the snatch.
Ukrainians also won four medals at the World Wrestling Championships. Silver went to Yulia Tkach in freestyle, bronze went to Zhan Belenyuk (Greco-Roman), Vasily Mikhailov and Irina Kolyadenko (freestyle).
At the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Ilya Kovtun becomes second in the overall standings, Nazar Chepurnoy takes bronze in the vault.
OCTOBER
Shakhtar achieves its first victory in the 2023/2024 Champions League. The miners beat Antwerp in the away match – 3:2, losing 0:2 during the match.
Ukrainians won three bronze medals at the World Karate Championship. Andrey Zaplitny, Valery Chebotar and Anzhelki Terlyuga came third.
NOVEMBER
Shakhtar beat Barcelona in the group stage of the Champions League, and in the next match, defeating Antwerp, guarantees itself access to the spring round of European competition.
DECEMBER
For the first time in the last 18 years, the Ukrainian women’s team is taking part in the World Handball Championship.
The Ukrainian men’s futsal team wins a ticket to the World Cup.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
