Ukrainian Veterans Shine at Invictus Games 2025: Sports Highlights

Ukrainian veterans among the best at the Invictus Games, Balta's first trophy, Chornomorets ' unplayed match and the fate of Usyk 's championship belt - in the digest of sports events from the South by Intent.

Games of the unconquered

The Ukrainian veterans' team showed one of the best results at the Invictus Games 2025, which took place in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada. Ukraine won 29 medals, including 11 gold, which is the fourth best result after the US, UK, and Australia. The medal-winning sports were volleyball, rowing, swimming, biathlon, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, alpine skiing, and skeleton.

Alexey Gorb. Photo: Invictus Games Team Ukraine.

• Oleksiy Horb , a veteran from Kherson region, became the second in alpine skiing in the IAS1 class, losing only to teammate Serhiy Hordievych.
• Ilya Haiduk, a veteran of the 36th Marine Brigade, won a bronze medal in the skeleton event.
• Odesa region was represented by four athletes. Ilya Pylypenko won a bronze medal as part of the wheelchair basketball team. Yevhen Kaus ' best result was 4th place in biathlon, Oleksiy Vasyliev took 8th place in curling, and Oleksiy Prytula took 7th place in alpine skiing.

Volleyball. Balta's historic victory

Screenshot: Ukrainian Volleyball Federation

• The final four of the Ukrainian Women's Volleyball Cup took place in Chernivtsi. In the semifinals, Balta defeated Dobrodiy Medical University from Vinnytsia in a tense five-set match, thus reaching the final of the competition for the first time in history.
• In the final, the hosts from Bukovyna were considered the favorites. Nevertheless, in all three games, with a fairly even game, Andriy Romanovych 's team had the final advantage. 3:0, and for the first time in history, the Ukrainian Cup goes to Podil district. Congratulations!

Irina Nogina. Photo: NGO Volleyball Federation of Ukraine

• In both matches, Balta's outside hitter Iryna Nogina became the most productive player and MVP of the tournament.

Tennis. WTA 1000 tournament. Doha.

Four Ukrainian women played at the WTA 1000 tournament in Doha (Qatar).

• Diana Yastremska from Odesa lost to American Peyton Stearns in the first round (5:7, 3:6). Angelina Kalinina also failed to make it past the first round. Slovakian Rebecca Šramková was stronger (2:6, 3:6).

Elina Svitolina. Photo: Air Force

• In the first round, Elina Svitolina managed to bounce back after a dry loss in the first set against Marketa Wondrousova (0-6, 6-2, 7-5), then lost to Jessica Pegula (3-6, 6-7 ). Elina also managed to express her support for the Air Force of Ukraine.
  
  <span> </span>Marta Kostiuk and Coco Goff. Photo by AP.
• Marta Kostiuk made a sensation by knocking out the world's third-ranked tennis player Coco Goff in the first round (6:2, 7:5). In the end, Marta reached the quarterfinals, where she lost to American Amanda Anisimova (6:4, 5:7, 4:6).
• A new WTA1000 tournament in Dubai has already started on Sunday. Diana Jastremska started competing in the WTA1000 tournament in Dubai, where she defeated Poland's Magda Lynette in the first round (6-3, 7-5). Elina Svitolina suffered a crushing defeat to unseeded Anna Kalinska (6-3 6-2).

Events of the week

Vladislav Geraskevich. Photo: Viesturs Lacis.

• "Chornomorets did not finish one of the control matches at the training camp in Turkey against Georgian Dila. During the first half, there were too many clashes and conflicts on the field, so the coaches decided to save the players and cancel the sparring session.
• The Ukrainian national basketball team traveled to Latvia for the EuroBasket qualifying match. Not everyone made it - Dnipro player Volodymyr Konev was taken off the train and taken to the TCC in Lutsk. Representatives of Dnipro claim that Volodymyr had a reservation, so such actions were unjustified.
• Skeleton racer Vladyslav Geraskevych won the European Cup in Lillehammer, Norway. This is the first such achievement and the second victory at the continental level - Vladyslav previously won the North American Cup in 2018.
• Denys Berinchyk lost a fight for the first time in his career and lost his championship title. The Ukrainian boxer lost by knockout in the lightweight world championship fight against American Keyshawn Davis.

Games and results

Photo: HC Storm-Odesa.

• "Storm defeated Kremenchuk on their home ice on Friday thanks to a four-goal surge in the second period. On Sunday , Odesa defeated Kyiv Capitals and moved closer to the league leaders. Sokol now has 56 points, the Capitals have 52, and the Storm has 51 points after the victories.

• In the handball derby of the South , Odesa proved to be stronger twice. After 9 rounds of the Super League, Odesa is in second place, while Izmail is in sixth place.

• "Nico-Basket continues to fight for promotion to the Super League. In this week's Major League matches, the Mykolaiv team won two games and remain in second place.

Not just sports

Oleksandr Usyk and Volodymyr Zelenskyi. Screenshot: Zelenskiy/Official

• According to Axios, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised to present Oleksandr Usyk's championship belt to his American counterpart Donald Trump in a telephone conversation. Usyk presented the belt to Zelensky after his first victory over Tyson Fury.

The fight between the US and Canadian hockey teams. Photo: AP

• And more about events overseas. The Four Nations tournament, organized by the NHL, is currently taking place in Montreal , Canada. The match between Canada and the United States once again showed that there is no sport outside of politics. The audience loudly booed the US anthem, and fights broke out on the ice three times in the first 9 seconds of the game. Such passions are related to the scandalous statements of the US authorities about the possible annexation of Canada.

Адлен Муатс